A Summer Job for Mom or Dad

If you watched wistfully as your kids went to camp this year, next summer you should consider going too. Many local camps in Westchester (as well as sleep away camps) are eager to hire parents for the summer. John Collins, Director of Badger Day Camp in Larchmont, has seen the benefit of hiring people who are also parents. "It's great to have an employee with guaranteed experience that is personally invested in the welfare of the children and the camp," he said.

Working at camp can allow you to explore a hobby or passion, while spending more time with kids and getting a break on the camp fees. Did you play the acoustic guitar and write music before having kids? Did you play college soccer or do you love coaching baseball? Working at camp can mean getting back to do something you had loved before your own kids took over all of your free time.

There are numerous positions at camps for which a parent can apply, including waterfront staff, head counselor, division leader, program coordinator, marketing director, sports staff, farm or gardening staff, various office jobs, cooking, yoga, drama, art, computers, nurse, and doctor, among others. Some camps prefer that you have an education degree and/or teaching experience; others just require an interview and proof that you have the ability to teach a certain activity or lead a particular group. Don't downplay the skills you have attained as a parent. Most parents of campers are thrilled to learn that a head counselor or instructor has kids of his or her own at camp.

There are many benefits to working at a summer camp, whether day or sleep away, for example:

• It's fun! Really fun most of the time.
• It's active. Yoga then tennis followed by swim and martial arts maybe?
• Your kids will LOVE seeing you there, guaranteed.
• Playing a role in teaching a three-year-old how to swim for the first time and forever is priceless.
• Free hot lunch daily (and maybe ice cream too)
• You'll have the opportunity to see your kids socializing and learning.
• Many camps offer a significant discount on tuition, a salary, or both. Kids may even go for free!
• You may have influence over your own child's camp experience.
• You can have a true impact on other kids' lives for eight weeks.

There are a few realities to working at a summer camp to keep in mind. Badger's John Collins thinks there are challenges to overcome if you are working at a camp that your child attends. "You may need to realize for the first time that your own kids don't come first," he said. "You have 10 to 20 kids in your group who are looking toward you as their parental figure/role model for the day and every one of those children has to be treated equally no matter what the situation." If you're working as a head counselor or division leader, you may be responsible for helping your counselors do the "nitty gritty" work at camp, like applying sunscreen to a whole lot of wiggly four-year-olds, serving lunch to kids that may be picky eaters, and helping kids get dressed for swim (as well as redressed after swim). You will also have to manage counselors who can be conscientious and mature, or sometimes not so much. You may be a contact point for parents so you need to feel comfortable with this aspect of the job. If you're an instructor, camps often count on you to develop teaching plans for your activity. Instructors are responsible for different age groups, so the plan needs to be appropriately adjusted to reflect age differences.

Working at a summer camp can make you feel young again, at least until your own kids walk in the door. There's nothing like having a bunch of high school and college kids as your assistant counselors when you're a division leader or head counselor. Have them guess your age at the end of the summer and I bet they'll guess that you're 5-10 years younger than you really are (as evidenced by asking my own counselors for the past two summers).

Last but not least, a tremendous benefit to working at a local summer camp is the giant list of qualified babysitters you can add to "favorites" on your smartphone.

Contributor Stacie Waldman worked at her children's day camp this summer.