The Ups and Downs of Sending Your Kids to Sleepaway Camp

There are few greater adventures for kids than a Summer spent at sleepaway camp. The camaraderie they feel, the independence they learn, the skills they build, and the friends they make all add up to a few wonderful weeks away from home. For their parents, it's a bit more of an emotional roller coaster. There's the excitement the kids will experience (not to mention the fact that Mom and Dad get a little kid-free time), but there's also the heartache of sending your children away. So just how do parents handle the ups and downs of overnight camp? With a little drama, of course! Read on to see all the emotions you'll experience if you're sending the kiddos off this Summer! Source: Disney

01
The High You Feel Knowing that Camp Starts in Just a Few Weeks
ABC

The High You Feel Knowing that Camp Starts in Just a Few Weeks

02
The Dread You Feel of Packing . . . and Packing . . . and More Packing
Fox

The Dread You Feel of Packing . . . and Packing . . . and More Packing

03
The Irritation You Feel With Your Child Who Is Itching to Get to Camp Already
NBC

The Irritation You Feel With Your Child Who Is Itching to Get to Camp Already

04
The Fear You Have That Your Child Won't Love Her Bunkmates, Her Counselor, the Activities, the Food . . .
Universal Pictures

The Fear You Have That Your Child Won't Love Her Bunkmates, Her Counselor, the Activities, the Food . . .

05
The Strength You Find in Yourself as You Put Your Child on the Bus
New Line Cinema

The Strength You Find in Yourself as You Put Your Child on the Bus

06
The Farewell When the Bus Pulls Away
CBS

The Farewell When the Bus Pulls Away

08
The Disappointment You Feel When You Don't See Your Child in the First Set of Photos the Camp Posts

The Disappointment You Feel When You Don't See Your Child in the First Set of Photos the Camp Posts

Source: BBC

09
The Scramble You Go Through to Get Letters to the Post Office on Time Each Day . . .
Universal Pictures

The Scramble You Go Through to Get Letters to the Post Office on Time Each Day . . .

. . . because you wouldn't want your child to be the only who didn't get mail one day!

10
The Panic You Feel When You Don't See Your Child in Any of the Most Recently Added Photos
Sony Pictures

The Panic You Feel When You Don't See Your Child in Any of the Most Recently Added Photos

11
The Thrill of Knowing You and Your Partner Can Act Like Newlyweds Again With No Kids at Home
Searchlight Pictures

The Thrill of Knowing You and Your Partner Can Act Like Newlyweds Again With No Kids at Home

12
The Satisfaction in Having Called the Camp to Tell Them to Tell Your Child to Smile When the Camera's Around

The Satisfaction in Having Called the Camp to Tell Them to Tell Your Child to Smile When the Camera's Around

13
The Dread of an Unexpected Phone Call From Camp
NBC

The Dread of an Unexpected Phone Call From Camp

14
The Anger You Feel When You See in a Posted Photo That They Already Ruined the Expensive Sweatshirt You Bought
NBC

The Anger You Feel When You See in a Posted Photo That They Already Ruined the Expensive Sweatshirt You Bought

15
The Anticipation of that Moment When You First See Your Child on Visiting Day
Fox

The Anticipation of that Moment When You First See Your Child on Visiting Day

16
The Adrenaline You Feel Racing to be the First Parent to Cross the Visiting Day Start Line
Lionsgate

The Adrenaline You Feel Racing to be the First Parent to Cross the Visiting Day Start Line

17
The Sizing Up of What Goodies Other Moms Brought on Visiting Day
Fox

The Sizing Up of What Goodies Other Moms Brought on Visiting Day

18
The Thrill of Seeing Your Child So Happy on Visiting Day
ABC

The Thrill of Seeing Your Child So Happy on Visiting Day

19
The Sadness You Feel When You Have to Leave at the End of Visiting Day
NBC

The Sadness You Feel When You Have to Leave at the End of Visiting Day

20
The Realization That You Only Have Three Weeks Until Camp's Over . . .

The Realization That You Only Have Three Weeks Until Camp's Over . . .

. . . and you haven't gotten through half of your "while the kids are gone" list! Source: MTV

21
The Joy of Searching Through the Posted Photos and Seeing Your Child Standing on Water Skis
CBS

The Joy of Searching Through the Posted Photos and Seeing Your Child Standing on Water Skis

22
The Satisfaction of Stocking Your Fridge For Their Return!

The Satisfaction of Stocking Your Fridge For Their Return!

Source: Oxygen

23
The Impatience You Feel While Waiting For the Bus to Arrive
Disney

The Impatience You Feel While Waiting For the Bus to Arrive

24
The Excitement You Feel For Reuniting When the Bus Arrives . . .
Fox

The Excitement You Feel For Reuniting When the Bus Arrives . . .

. . . only to have them run to your partner rather than you.

25
The Realization of Just How Much Laundry There Is to Do . . .
NBC

The Realization of Just How Much Laundry There Is to Do . . .

. . . and just how disgustingly dirty it is! (Tip: throw most of it away — those stains and that mildew will never come out!)

26
The Loathing You Feel Finding the Money to Put Down Next Year's Deposit
ABC

The Loathing You Feel Finding the Money to Put Down Next Year's Deposit

27
The Comfort in Knowing That You'll Be Doing It All Again Next Year
ABC

The Comfort in Knowing That You'll Be Doing It All Again Next Year