Who is responsible?

It seems as if she may also come across as being babied by you. I think your instincts are right and this should be a chance for your sister to feel her own way in a group and maybe grow up a little. How about a compromise where you say you’ll keep an eye for her but don’t plan to micro-manage her daily tasks and socializing?

Or (c) little sister may want to be on her own a little bit and not singled out from the other girls. For sure the special treatment will work against her interacting in a normal way with other girls. Aren’t they apt to tease her about it the moment she’s alone? I would be surprised if the counselors thought this was a good idea, unless the child is disabled somehow.

(Even if she doesn’t eat a thing or brush her teeth all weekend, it’s only a weekend and she will be fine.)

Your parents have a responsibility here, if you want to talk about responsibility. It’s up to them to see that your sister (and not just you) learns what she needs to know to take care of herself so she won’t grow up expecting to be coddled and dependent on you. This is a great and very safe opportunity for her to practice a little.

@janbb I don’t mind keeping an eye on her once in a while or helping her get dressed for the weather etc, as I do that daily, as you know from my zipping her jacket thread I started. What does annoy me though is that parents want me to sort of babysit her all weekend, I’m volunteering there, not going just to look after my sister. I kind of feel like their taking advantage of me, not criticism of my sister as I love her dearly but I sense her using the advantages she’s hearing me and parents arguing over.

It’s the responsibility of the camp counselors, not you.

It will be nice to check in your sister once in a while, like a visit to say hello, but nightly tuck-ins doesn’t sound right. She’ll make friends with her bunk mates and everything will be fine most likely. If you are constantly with her, it might very well work against her socially. Her peers might tease her about it. She is more likely to stay shy and dependent if she is coddled. Time away from family might do her a lot of good.

She is your parents’ child, not your child, you are the sibling. Different cultures think differently about this. I loved my little sister and wanted to make her happy and do things for her and we played together, but when it comes to being with friends, young children are separated by age for some play and social activities for a reason.

Can you just agree to check on her once in a while and leave it at that? No specific promise of more than that. Let your sister know she can always ask for you, she just has to tell a counselor.

How old are you?

@JLeslie I’m 16 :).

Oh, you are many years apart. So, are you going to be a counselor there?

Is your sister nervous about going?

Yes, but having me there should ease them nerves and, yes, I’m going as a volunteer.

It’s just the weekend right? Such a short time it will be a good test. She’s very young, a little contact with you will be nice to ease any home sickness. A quick hello or a hug if she wants one.

Honestly, I think your parents are just nervous.

Yeah, Friday night, all of Saturday and Sunday morning before travelling back at around teatime. Yeah, I’m happy to check she’s OK once in a while and to make sure she’s dressed appropriately for weather because I do that daily anyway :).

Not sure how this works for females but for males I can tell you that such pampering would subject the child to constant torment and bullying from other campers. Guys can be pretty cruel and I think, based on conversations, that girls can be just as bad if not worse.
I would just keep an eye on things from a distance and try not to intrude unless absolutely necessary.

Don’t ignore you sister, she is your sister, but just let her be and provide a shoulder if she comes to you or you observe something not right.

Heck, just coming by and saying hi occasionally, not as a babysitter but as a friend, will let it be known that she has a guardian and maybe give her an extra layer of protection from any possible bullying and hazing that may be lurking in the background.

Tell your parents that the idea of you hovering over your sister defeats the entire purpose of the trip. Are you going to be there to hold her hand when school starts up?

I spoke to my parents and had grandparents also try and talk sense into them but they just won’t change their mind, they say I have to keep an eye on sister and zip her jacket everytime it’s on, if it’s raining or not :(.

Maybe you should decide not to go. There is something in this picture that doesn’t make sense. I would suggest some family therapy around the coat zipping issue.

Take your sister. Get dirty,don’t shower,howl at the moon,summon the gods,eat plenty of junk food,throw up,have fun…

@janbb, that is not going to happen, I’m definitely going to go :).

Is it such a small camp that you will be around your sister so much?

When she is in front of everyone at the camp she just might want to zip her own jacket.

I think just go, see how it goes. Use your judgment. You’re 16, which is old enough to know whether your sister is doing ok. She might step up all in her own and be more responsible when she’s in a different environment. If she doesn’t, and you have to do more for her than I would suspect, well it’s just a few days and you can decide to never be in that situation again.

You only probably have a few more years at home with her before you leave for college or move out to be an adult, so you might as well appreciate the time with her.

You’re so many years apart you get to appreciate all the cute things she does in a way that sisters close in age don’t.

I’m sure I am the odd one out on this Q.

Your sister seems like she is a special needs child. Also, I can’t imagine ever having been allowed (nor would I ever allow a child of mine, at age 6) to go on a camping trip without the actual parents.

I may be in the minority, but none of my friend’s parents allowed my friends to go camping with us (or me with them) until we were 11 years old (5th grade). Too many fears, too much immaturity before that.

Your sister can’t even zip her own jacket. Sending her out on a camping trip without your parents, even if you are there, seems like a terrible idea for everyone.