WAG Woodward camp question -- Sleep???

[emorymom]

I saw a day schedule and now I'm concerned about the amount of sleep time offered. One of my children needs 10 hours for a full night's sleep.

The camp where I worked as a counselor has lights-out at nine, up at seven, and a generous rest period after lunch.

Woodward seems to be much less!

 

[gymgal]

dd hasn't attended that camp for several years but I remember it to be very flexible. They only required one training session a day other sessions were optional and many gymnasts chose to relax by the pool, do another activity, or in the cabins during this time. Also remember that it is only for 5-6 days unless she is doing back to back camps. Most kids can handle a change in sleep schedule for that short amount of time. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless there is a medical condition that requires her to need extra rest, in which case I would talk with the camp to see if they can accommodate that.

 

[dmbgymnast]

I went there a couple summers ago- 2? 3? 4? and I won't butter it up for you: it is highly unlikely she will get 10 hours straight. Probably close to 7 or 8 through the night; but as gymgal said, she can rest during other parts of the day, she isn't required to go to all the training sessions.

 

[emorymom]

dd hasn't attended that camp for several years but I remember it to be very flexible. They only required one training session a day other sessions were optional and many gymnasts chose to relax by the pool, do another activity, or in the cabins during this time. Also remember that it is only for 5-6 days unless she is doing back to back camps. Most kids can handle a change in sleep schedule for that short amount of time. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless there is a medical condition that requires her to need extra rest, in which case I would talk with the camp to see if they can accommodate that.

It's six nights. She has attended 5 night general enrollment camps in past years (3-4 years in a row) where she wasn't even working out, and by the time I picked up, though she had fun, she was miserable from compounded sleep deprivation. Flat-out sick feeling, verge of tears, take me home so I can go to sleep. And they got 9 hours. And she is one of those kids who can sleep anytime, anywhere, and I'm sure slept from the minute they turned out the lights until they woke her up.

This is six nights. And she's type A. I don't see her going once a day to practice if she does attend. "What would the coach think?" Sigh.

 

[sce]

How old is she? I know they have a younger camper cabin with an earlier bedtime. My dd went to Woodward West as a regular camper. She did not get a lot of sleep. I think they were in the cabins by 10pm, lights out at 11pm. Then the talking a giggling started. I think she might have gotten 7 or so hours of sleep most nights. And while they can rest during the day, honestly she is unlikely to when she can be in the gym or doing some other fun activity,

 

[Madden3]

Yes I think the WW bedtime of 11pm is nuts for athletes, it worried me too when my son went, because he is totally miserable in every way when sleep deprived. Here is what happened:

When my then 11 year old went to WW west a couple summers ago, he ended up in the earlier bedtime cabin- the one for 9 and under and for those older who want the earlier bedtime. He did NOT want this and we did not request it, but that is where he ended up, I am guessing it was simply a numbers thing (not a lot of gym boys) and that is where there was space. He did not love having to leave early from movie night and missing the end of the movie, but otherwise he had a fantastic time, the early bedtime was not an issue otherwise and I think he had a better experience overall because he actually got a somewhat more reasonable amount of sleep, but of course I do not know for sure. However if we parents had made him do the early bedtime cabin I am sure he would have been upset.

 

[kayjaybe]

If she can sleep through anything, she can always just try turning in early or as a pp said - try to grab a nap during the day.

Is she going with her team? My dd travels with her team and they have 1 required Woodward practice, 1 required team practice, and then 1 optional "open gym" practice. If your dd is going with her team, it might be a similar schedule. She could skip the open gym, or turn in early during the evening activities.

Honestly, it is going to be up to her to learn how to manage her need for sleep. I suggest talking with her about strategies before she goes so she can have some options in mind.

The one option she will NOT have is to sleep later in the morning. The campers are required to get up and tidy their cabins before heading to breakfast. If she stays in bed late and doesn't tidy, her entire cabin will need to wait until she is up and her bunk is in order.

 

[raenndrops]

I was going to suggest having her placed in the 9 and under cabin. From lights out to wake up it is 9.5 hours... But she could try to fall asleep early (or get a nap in during the day).

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Sounds like this is not the camp for her..................

 

[munchkin3]

Sleep away camp is time to let go.....she will figure it out.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

How old is she?

Lights out is at 10 for younger campers, 11 for older ones. Morning workout (which is for kids 12 and up) starts at 9; if she's younger than 12, she'll be able to sleep in a bit longer.

Also, mandatory workouts are only once/day. She'll be free to nap any other time during the day.

 

[kitkat]

I was a camp mom for a couple of years. I never got my own daughters cabin. (wanted her to do it without me).
One year I had a younger cabin and one year I had the older.
Both times my DD was in the younger cabin and I was so glad.
What kids talk about at 15-16+17 is so much different then what I was prepared for her to hear.
Of she's young enough keep her in the younger cabin.
I would also suggest you have her bring a sleeping eye mask. There are these bright light things above the door that at really bright.
My DD was so exhausted from training two to three times a day, then ropes course, swimming pool, having a blast that she fell asleep pretty quick. (so her cabin mom said).
She will have a lot of fun.

 

[gymgal]

It's six nights. She has attended 5 night general enrollment camps in past years (3-4 years in a row) where she wasn't even working out, and by the time I picked up, though she had fun, she was miserable from compounded sleep deprivation. Flat-out sick feeling, verge of tears, take me home so I can go to sleep. And they got 9 hours. And she is one of those kids who can sleep anytime, anywhere, and I'm sure slept from the minute they turned out the lights until they woke her up.

This is six nights. And she's type A. I don't see her going once a day to practice if she does attend. "What would the coach think?" Sigh.

Honestly, I think a lot of children coming home from a week camp feel/act that way. dd when 2-3 yrs in a row with her teammates - they all drove up/back together and a good majority of that ride back was spent catching up on sleep. I am figuring that she is at least 10, given that she has been going to sleep aways for at least 3-4 yrs now. She is old enough for you to guide her in devising a realistic schedule that works for her.

But if you really feel like this is going to be a major issue, then sleep away camp is not a good option for her. Maybe finding a college camp that offers day campers and you/she can stay in a hotel where you can better control her sleep pattern.

 

[sce]

I was a camp mom for a couple of years. I never got my own daughters cabin. (wanted her to do it without me).
One year I had a younger cabin and one year I had the older.
Both times my DD was in the younger cabin and I was so glad.
What kids talk about at 15-16+17 is so much different then what I was prepared for her to hear.
.

Don't know about Woodward but at Woodward West they don't put kids of all ages together. Even when they are no longer in the young camper cabins. When my dd was 10yo her cabin was mostly 10 yos up to a 12yo ( by request, she was with dd and a few others she knew)

Last summer when she was 12yo, her cabin was 11yo-13yo.

 

[momto2js]

I can attest to the fact that a 3 year spread is as much as Woodward will do under normal circumstances. (For boys gym, sometimes the spread is a little more just because there are so few). I was hired this year for 7 weeks as a director, for my son, weekends will be essential that he sleep during the day. I think he will be ok, but I worry. Yes, when you get the kids home the first few days are emotional and tough. But, I guess it is part of growing up and learning to cope.

 

[emorymom]

If there is an earlier bedtime cabin, that would be ok.
She's 13. If she wasn't such a compliant kid she would be able to manage her own sleep. She would gladly go sleep with 7 year olds if it meant she didn't have to suffer long and compounded sleep deprivation.
My own experience of sleepaway camp as a camper and counselor did not involve sleep deprivation. I thought the camp they attended previously did it because it was a 5-day camp with a medical theme and they were, as they said when I mentioned that they were not facilitating a healthy amount of sleep, trying to fit a full year of fun into 5 days.

 

[mommyof1]

My own experience of sleepaway camp as a camper and counselor did not involve sleep deprivation.

All of my experiences and my daughter's experiences with sleepaway camp have involved sleep deprivation. That's just par for the course. Even when they are supposed to be in bed with the lights out for what seems like a sufficient amount of time, they are going to stay up chatting and giggling, and if it's light outside in the morning they are not going to sleep in to compensate for staying up late. They also won't sleep as soundly as they do at home. If there are several kids in the cabin and/or if there is no air conditioning, it's even worse.

Camp is just exhausting in general. My kid literally won the award for sleeping the most at gym camp last year, and she still passed out on the living room floor as soon as she got home.

As a parent you just have to decide whether the tradeoff is worth it. I am usually a stickler regarding sleep because it's so important to my kid, but when it comes to camp I am willing to compromise on sleep for a week because the overall experience is so valuable.

 

[kayjaybe]

Is she going with her team?

I'm not sure they will put a 13 yo in a cabin with 7-9 yos. And even though it gives her the earlier sleep time, I don't know she would want the other restrictions. The younger cabins stay with their cabin "mom" -- all travel to meals together, practice, activities, etc. I don't think they get the freedom of the older cabins, who pretty much have the run of the camp except for bedtime. So before you try to put her in one of those cabins, be aware she might have additional restrictions.

 

[bookworm]

My youngest always required 8-10 hours of sleep a night as a rule...and we did Woodward for many years and many years we did multiple weeks....and she did fine. She was up in the morning for workouts and did all the evening activities before lights out...they adjust when they're in the camp setting with their buddies. When she got home, she went back to her old 10 hours a night schedule without missing a beat...deep breath, don't worry , it'll all work out.

 

[azara]

I mean this with the greatest respect. At 13, your DD is most likely able to sort out her bedtime for a couple of days. This will be a great opportunity for her to learn to, at least!

We don't do summer camps in Australia like exist in the US, but we had an annual weekend-long school camp from age 9. Bedtimes were invariably late. We all survived fine, and those that were really tired and wanted to sleep generally managed that, whilst those happier to stay up and talk kept the noise down. Camps are a valuable experience because they teach kids and teens to get along and live independently, away from most of the authority they're under every other day of the year.

It's only 6 days, and it doesn't sound like particularly heavy training. If I were your daughter, I would certainly prefer to manage my own affairs (and put up with the risk of being tired) than having to sleep in a 9 and under cabin to get an earlier bedtime. Of course, perhaps she feels differently. Just make sure you ask her before making special requests