School Camp Season:
How to Let Go Without Losing Track
It's camp season again — the permission slip is signed, the bag is half-packed, and somewhere between the sock count and the insect repellent it hits you: three days. No phone. No contact. If camp anxiety is real for you (it's real for almost every parent), here's how to handle it — practically, not just emotionally.
What Camps Actually Allow
Most Australian school camps ban phones outright — for good reason (photos of other kids, homesickness calls at midnight). But many will allow a smart watch set to restricted mode, because it can't photograph anyone and can't access the internet. Ask the school before camp week: "Can my child wear a watch if it's locked to calls with parents only?" Getting a yes in writing (even an email) avoids day-one confiscation drama.
If the Watch Goes: Set It Up Right
- Trim the contact list to parents only for camp week — group chats with cousins can wait
- Lock the extras — games, music and AI off from the parent app
- Agree the contact rhythm in advance — one scheduled call after dinner beats twenty anxious check-ins (for you both)
- Charge it fully the night before and pack the magnetic charger — the GL50 runs up to 36 hours; on a 3-day camp it needs one top-up. The GL30's 3-day battery covers most camps on a single charge
If the Camp Says No Devices At All
Respect it — and remember the watch's job isn't over. Camp drop-off and pickup days are the chaotic ones: buses, carparks, excited kids everywhere. Safe zones and GPS still cover the journey to and from camp, which is when you actually need it most. And honestly? Three days of supervised disconnection is good for them. The teachers have done this a hundred times.
For the Anxious Parent (You)
A few things that genuinely help: ask the school for the camp's emergency contact protocol (they all have one); pack a written note in the bag so there's a piece of you in the cabin; and plan something for your own first evening — the quiet house is the hard part, not the logistics.
The Bottom Line
Camp is a practice run for independence — theirs and yours. Ask about the watch policy early, set it up for the week if it's allowed, and let the GPS cover the journey. Then let them go have the time of their life.
July 2026. Camp policies vary — always confirm with the school.
