Parents delay decisions about summer camp as economy weakens (no money)

[UpInArms]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK - As headlines about a struggling economy pour in, parents worried about their wallets are waiting longer to register their children for summer camp and more are asking for financial aid.

Day camp directors said parents are making decisions a month or two later than usual as they determine their summer finances, said Peter Surgenor, the national president of the American Camp Association.

Similarly, YMCA resident and day camps started to see a slowdown in registrations in March "when economic news stories became more certain of recession in mid March," said YMCA camping specialist Gary Forster.

Historically during past recessions and real estate downturns, as many as 25 percent of parents waited longer than usual to sign up for YMCA camp, Forster said, and the average length of a camper's stay declined. The waiting lists for camps shortened, too, but camp attendance stayed steady.

<snip>

Parents are struggling with an economy on the brink of recession: food and fuel costs are rising, housing values are dropping and access to credit remains limited. Retail spending, which makes up two-thirds of economic activity, has mostly stalled this year and consumer confidence has plummeted to its lowest reading in 26 years.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080429/ap_on_bi_ge/business_of_life

[CubicleGuy]

1. Past critcism of the President's handling of the war in Iraq...

... included the notion that it was somehow wrong for the President to wage war while cutting taxes and not asking Joe Citizen to make sacrifices of some sort for the war effort.

Maybe Bush has found the way to get Joe Citizen to make sacrifices for the war by screwing up the economy. Now we're all hurting due to inflationary food prices and gas and fuel prices.

Don't you feel better about the war now that you're making sacrifices for it?

[truthisfreedom]

3. But it's all okay for the Prez because he said it's the Democrats' fault, dinch'a hear?

insert dripping sarcasm emoticon

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Oooh. Not good.

When I was a kid, orchestra was my life, and music camps and music festivals at universities were what got me out of town and meeting other kids. My family didn't take vacations because they thought that was extravagant. As a result, we all got sick of looking at each other.

I have fond memories of music camp. Midwestern (Go Jayhawks!) was the BEST.


The main thing that happened at Baylor Summer Music Camp was that we all crowded around one TV set in the girls' dorm when Bobby Kennedy was shot.