As a parent, you want to raise your child to be independent and confident but the road to getting there is not always easy.

For some kids, they can't wait for camp. Others just want to stay home. Pediatrician Dr. Manny Cirenza suggests children under least eight may not be ready. Begin slowly and no more than a week away to start and remember it's never a good idea to force your child to camp.

"I think you should expect any child is going to be experiencing some level some trepidation or home sickness. One thing to also consider too when you are sending your child away is that if you have them go along with a friend then that may help to ease some of that burden," Dr. Manny Cirenza said.

Be sure to match the camp with your child's personality. Is a sports camp a better fit rather than one with arts and crafts? And be sure the camp has access to proper medical assistance and check the policy on communicating with your child. Some camps forbid it.

"Some things you want to consider is the ability for you to potentially connect with your child, either through internet, email, potential for a visit, if need be, as well, if they can call home. It's generally not a good idea to send them away with cell phone where they might call every five or ten minutes and diminish the experience while they are there," said Cirenza.

If you child's experience at sleep away camp is a positive one, you can build on that. As he gets older, you can continue to allow him to sleep away and his confidence will build.

"I think it's going to be one of those many steps that they are going to take as they go along the way to hopefully help them to learn to be more responsible for themselves and sometimes be in a an anxiety provoking situation and overcome them, " Cirenza said.