Kids at camp missed by fathers

While kids are keen to ditch the family and run off without a goodbye to rejoin friends at summer camp, parents are suffering from ‘kid-sickness’.

The American Camp Association has noted an increase in the number of parents bidding a tearful farewell to children at the gates of summer camp.

Dads and moms are now being given advice from camps on how to avoid missing their children over the summer months.

Peg Smith, head of the American Camp Association, explained to CNN that camp directors are now putting together programs to prepare parents for time away from their children.

"The time and energy camp directors put into preparing parents for camp is now equal to the time they prepare children for camp," she said.

"Sending your child away to summer camp requires a terrifying leap of faith," added Joanne Kates director of Camp Arowhan in Ontario, Canada.

Meanwhile, those parents planning a family trip have been offered parenting advice by psychotherapist Michelle Avcock.

She told the Savannah Morning News that keeping the peace on a family holiday and ensuring a stress-free trip requires some good parenting skills.

Planning a route that involves designated bathroom stops, organizing holiday outfits in advance and taking plenty of snacks for the car can make for a stress-free summer break.