Growing up in South Africa, sleepover camps weren't nearly as popular as they are in North America. I hated the idea of not having a washroom in my cabin and having to make my way to one with only a flashlight to guide me. And I didn't want to sit around campfires listening to ghost stories that I feared would keep me awake at night.

My husband, on the other hand, looked forward to the entire sleeping-away-from-home experience. He loved the independence, the campouts, sharing a cabin with 11 other boys his age, trekking through wild wooded areas and portaging to the river. I think he especially loved the friendships he made and all the activities, such as windsurfing and archery, he might never have been exposed to closer to home.

After our older daughter was grown up enough to choose between day camp and sleepover camp, I had to think really carefully about how I was going to help her make her decision.