How old was your CWD when they went solo to D-camp?

[Mommy For Life]

We are starting to look up diabetes camps for 2012. We went to a weekend family camp 2 weeks after Olivia was diagnosed. Most other attendees were shocked we were there, but it was a great experience. Olivia will be 9 this spring. Did anyone send their cwd to a week long camp at 9 years old?

[Amy C.]

My son went to camp at 8 and then at 9. He was too young both times. He didn't go solo again until he was 14.

The age doesn't matter, but the child does. If your daughter is willing, let her try. Otherwise, find a diabetes day camp to attend.

[kpoehls]

Mara went to week-long diabetes camp 3 months after she was diagnosed at age 8. She has been back every year since and has said that camp is the best part about having diabetes!

The first year it was hard to let her go and trust that everything would be taken care of.... now I laugh when I think about that.....

There are MORE people there with training, experience and life lessons about how to live fully with diabetes than she would ever have here at home....

[Connor's Mom]

My son was diagnosed when he was 7 and the CDE strongly urged us when he was 8 to send him to camp. He went for the first time this past summer at the age of 10. I was a wreck but, his first letter to me said this, "Mom, I was having such a good time I forgot to miss you!" he will go back this year

[Timmy Mac]

I was never allowed to go. :/

[sooz]

Hailey was eight and she loved it. Her camp starts out with a weekend family camp and then if the family, the parents and the child agree, the camper stays for the week. She loved it so much she went back for another session...thinking about it, maybe she was seven. She loves camp and the people there. It has given her so much joy and self confidence!

[pianoplayer4]

I've never been to diabetes camp, at diagnosis I thought it was a stupid idea... I had no idea how lonely diabetes could be =( I asked to go last summer, but we were just to busy, and its pretty expansive around here. I did go away for a week the summer after I was diagnosed though, I was 15, I spent the week with my uncle in new York watching his kids while his wife was away for work. I think it was a great experience for my as well as my mom, I really learned that I can overcome every challenge diabetes gives me=) plus the babysitting part made me confident that I can eventually be a parent with diabetes. However, it wasn't diabetes camp, I only had me, my uncle didn't even know what the glucagon was until I got there. I called my mom every night, and we texted a lot though. I would say if your daughter wants to, you should let her go. 'd' friends are hard to explain, but there's no one like them.

[Beach bum]

My daughter was 6 for day camp and 9 for overnight. However, our overnight was a camp that you could bring a sibling or friend, and hubby and I took advantage of that fact and sent them both off!

[Connor's Mom]

@Timmy Mac and pianoplayer4, have you thought about applying to be a councilor at a camp?

[Marcia]

Ab was 9, diagnosed 6 mos earlier. She loved it and has gone back every year.