Do summer camps relieve or cause more stress for busy city parents?

THE HANOI TIMES — "Where should the kids go during the summer holidays?"

This is the question that haunts most Vietnamese parents every year when the school year ends. On paper, summer camps seem like a good idea. But are they really?

In fact, the summer vacation can be a golden opportunity for students, but it often causes headaches for their parents. After nine intense months of studying, children deserve two to three months of complete rest to recharge for the next challenging academic year.

In a previous article, we argued that summer should be a time for children to relax, free from academic pressure. But how?

In rural areas, where extended families live close together and children have lots of friends in the neighbourhood, summer still feels like summer.

As long as they steer clear of dangerous places such as rivers or construction sites, kids are free to roam.

They play from morning until noon and from noon until sunset. They run around, cause mischief, and get told off, but that's childhood.

City kids, however, don’t have that luxury.

For urban families, summer brings disruption. I have two sons: the older one has just finished second grade, and the younger one is about to start primary school.

The younger one has to attend a daycare class at his teacher’s house to prepare for starting regular school. It's all about instilling discipline.

But the older one is granted a “true summer break.” There's no academic tutoring, just a few extracurricular classes at school.

And that’s where the complications started.

When my eldest son has a class, I have to take time off work to drive him there. Even when he doesn’t, I still have to shuttle him back and forth to his grandparents' house, which is a detour of over 10 kilometers.

My family is fortunate in that we live close enough to the grandparents for this to work. But what about other families?

Should they send their kids to live with their grandparents in the countryside? That’s not always ideal, as many grandparents can’t keep up with their grandchildren or manage their activities.

What about enrolling children in summer classes or camps? This would require at least one parent to sacrifice their time, endure their boss's irritation, and cover the cost.

Leaving them at home alone? What if something happens? Some might say that Vietnamese parents worry unnecessarily, but there are good reasons for it: house fires, theft, and, worse still, kidnapping.

These are real risks when children are left unsupervised, as not all children are mature enough to resist temptation or make safe decisions.

It is with these concerns in mind that the idea of summer camps emerged. At first glance, they seemed like the ideal solution: children would be in a group setting, learning teamwork and sharing experiences. It sounds great.

But what if some campers are bullies? Would the victims speak up? And if they did, would the adults respond or dismiss it as 'just kids being kids'?

Then there's the bigger question: How well are these camps run? Are they legally licensed? If they are run as private businesses, do they comply with government regulations?

Do they meet basic health, safety, and educational standards? Do the organizers and staff have professional certifications from the Ministry of Education and Training?

If something goes wrong, such as bullying, fights, food poisoning, or infectious disease outbreaks, who is responsible?

In Vietnam, many private summer camps are rife with hidden risks. Parents often have no idea what is going on behind the scenes until an incident hits the headlines.

At Lang Hao Huc (Excitement Village), a summer camp site in Thai Nguyen province, pupils were bullied. Some were so frightened by the sanitary conditions of the bathrooms that they did not go there for eight days straight. Others complained of being bitten by mosquitoes and insects.

Yet, the camp’s organizers refused to take responsibility. Rather than acknowledging their mistakes, they posted vague, evasive statements online and blamed "external factors." Even worse, some argued with parents, their paying customers, on social media.

This type of response only breeds further distrust. When summer camp becomes a source of trauma rather than joy, its educational value evaporates. Children should return from camp feeling more confident and resilient, not more withdrawn and fearful.

Sending kids to summer camp can be beneficial. However, parents must take a closer look at camp quality. I’m not saying all camps are bad, but perhaps it's time for state authorities to conduct thorough inspections of these facilities.

If only one child complains, it may be an isolated incident. However, if almost all of the campers leave feeling disappointed, we must take their feedback seriously.

These camps are selling a service. They are obligated to deliver on the promises made to parents. They cannot dodge responsibility by getting into public arguments with parents.

In fact, rather than choosing private camps, parents might consider those organized by military or police units, which offer structured discipline, strict supervision, teamwork, and character-building activities. Children learn to live together peacefully and develop essential life skills.

More importantly, we as parents must reflect on our own role. Yes, we’re busy with work, but that can’t always be our excuse.

Let your kids do chores. Set up a system of rewards and consequences. After all, they’re growing up, and household tasks foster independence. One or two weeks at summer camp won't solve the underlying issue of a child's lack of self-reliance. After nine months of school, summer should be a time for parents and children to strengthen their bond.

Think of this as a moment of reset. Time doesn’t rewind. If we keep outsourcing our children’s development to camps and classes, we risk losing the most valuable connection of all - the one between parent and child. So, before signing that camp registration form, we should ask ourselves: Are we doing enough for our children?