Beyond the Fees: The Hidden Cost of Add-On Camp Programs

When I was a young warthog, a common bullying refrain in primary (grade) school was that someone had fleas. Looking back (shamefully), this was clearly bullying, laser-targeted at kids who knew what it meant. Because to be told you had fleas on a playground in the early 80s was to be told you were poor, or your parents were not as wealthy as ours.

As 6, 7, and 8-year-olds, we may not have been able to articulate that our cruelty was an attempt to exclude or target someone based on their perceived socio-economic status, but this is exactly what it was. To have fleas meant that your clothes were old, worn out, or hand-me-downs, or that they were not popular brands. Kids, even young ones, are ruthless, and behaviors and comments that highlight or demean an individual’s economic background, living conditions, or access to resources are just one more way to build an outgroup.

Socio-economic bullying can have profound impacts on a child's self-esteem, academic performance, and mental health. It emphasizes the disparities between different socio-economic groups and can perpetuate feelings of shame, isolation, and anxiety among those targeted. Schools and camps are increasingly aware of the need to address and prevent all forms of bullying, including those based on socio-economic status, yet we create structures that reinforce them.

Which brings us to our third installment of why add-on programming is ruining your camp.

Children today are growing up in a culture steeped in comparison, significantly amplified by the omnipresence of social media. This digital landscape constantly bombards them with images and narratives that set unrealistic standards for appearance, possessions, and lifestyle. They face relentless pressure to conform to these ideals, from the clothes they wear and their physical appearance to the brand of phone they carry. Unlike previous generations, today's youth navigate an unceasing stream of social comparisons, where every aspect of their lives is subject to scrutiny and evaluation against their peers and the polished personas of influencers. This pressure is not only pervasive but also profoundly impacts their self-esteem and mental health, marking a new, more intense era of social comparison that leaves little room for individuality and self-acceptance.

Then, we compound this at camp by offering enhanced programming at a cost. We are creating an unintended layer of social stratification in their lives. Now, camp, once a safe space, is building hierarchies based on access to or participation in premium or exclusive programs.

When programs are divided into basic and premium tiers, with the latter requiring additional payment, it inherently segregates participants based on their families' economic capacity. This division leads to social stratification, where individuals from higher socio-economic backgrounds have access to more or better perceived experiences than their less affluent peers. Such disparities can foster an environment of inequality, where access to resources and opportunities is visibly unbalanced. The visible divide between those who can participate in premium offerings and those who cannot affects campers' self-esteem and sense of belonging. Campers who are unable to access certain programs due to financial constraints might feel marginalized or less valued than their peers. This perception can lead to feelings of exclusion, impacting their overall experience and personal development negatively.

Parents themselves are not immune to the comparative culture. They feel pressure to present their family and parenting in the best possible light, leading to additional stress and anxiety. Signing up for camps they can afford allows their kid to feel included.

It should be evident that while add-on programming at summer camps may appear to offer a competitive edge or a source of marginal revenue gain, the social costs and the deep, unintended consequences of such structures demand urgent reconsideration. Nearly all camps I visit promote inclusivity and equality as their fundamental ethos. Yet, to chase a few extra dollars, we instead amplify the pressures and disparities that children already face in their everyday lives.

Let us strive to create environments where the value of the experience far outweighs the cost of admission, where every child is valued equally, and where the memories made are not tarnished by the shadow of social stratification. The time to act is now, to ensure that camps remain refuges of joy, learning, and equality, reflecting the best of what we aspire for our society to be.