Summer camp is supposed to be fun. Why has it become parents' biggest stressor?

For some moms, the emails begin to arrive in early December. "SUMMER CAMP 2026!" reads the subject line. It's not even Christmas yet.

Parents are increasingly complaining about − and stressed out by − the ever earlier summer camp signup dates that require them to have their schedules planned half-a-year in advance, or risk paying higher rates or losing coveted camper spots that go quickly. For some selective sleepaway camps, parents are encouraged to have their plans locked in before Thanksgiving.

"It's gotten more competitive," says Emily Harris, a mother in central Virginia who has five children between the ages of 7 and 19.

Harris, 46, says she has to know what her plan is by the end of January or else "it's too late." Each of her kids usually has 4-5 camps planned for the summer. "I've never been able to fill the summer completely with camps," she says. The rest of the time, she pays for babysitters and nannies.

"It's basically chaos," she says.