By Karen Morgan
Summer Camp
School will be out in 2 days, and your kids will be home every day, all day. Do you:
- a. Buy them each a TV set for their room so that you don’t miss your soap operas;
- b. Lock them out in the yard with a box of cookies and let them drink water out of the garden hose;
- c. Send the precious angels to camp!
The answer is “c” of course. Summer camp is an opportunity for the whole family. Your child will become self-reliant and self-sufficient while gaining physical fitness and social interaction. And you will learn to let your child be independent while gaining time to yourself for work or play. Or soap operas.
Day Camp:
If your child is ready for camp but you're not sure she is prepared for overnights away from home, consider Day Camp. Day Camp gives your child a first look at a camp experience (building friendships, learning new skills, etc.) without the pressure of being away from home. Day Camp is also helpful to parents by giving you flexibility in your family’s schedule, for instance if grandparents come to visit for the summer, or if you are a working parent.
Considerations/Questions for Day Camp:
What training does the staff receive, what are their ages?
Is there extended care before or after for working parents?
Will they provide lunch?
Are campers grouped by age, activity or both?
Are parents encouraged to visit?
What is the camper: counselor ratio?
What activities are planned and where will they be held?
What does my child need to bring each day?
Overnight Camp:
If your child is going to an overnight camp, consider the following suggestions to maximize his or her camping experience:
Ages 4-7
You should only consider overnight camps for children who have had varied and positive experiences of being away from home, who are toilet trained, and who have good self-care skills. With this age group, you should share some aspects of the camp selection process (e.g., what kind of camp, how long to stay, whether to go with a friend or not). Consider mini-camps or short sessions and try to select a camp that specializes in activities for younger age groups while providing a good mix of athletics, arts, and other activities.
Ages 8-10
With this age group, you can share some aspects of the camp selection process. Make sure to work together to find a camp that matches your child’s interests and abilities. Allow your child to assume responsibility for camp preparation (e.g., help to shop for necessities, help to pack, help to complete registration forms). Reserve a family time for activities and conversation about the camp, about coping with homesickness, about keeping in touch through letter writing, etc.
Ages 11-13
With this age group, you should include your child in all important decisions about camp and allow him or her to assume responsibility for camp preparation. You should select a camp that builds on your adolescent's individual strengths and consider a camp that concentrates on this age group. Also, make sure to arrange some practice time away from home in the months before camp starts.
Ages 14-16
You and your teenager should select a camp together by discussing important aspects to each of you. Make sure to differentiate camp from school. Look for camps that enhance self-esteem by providing opportunities for success in one or more activities that are important to your child. Your teen can assume responsibility for camp preparation. With this age group, you can consider longer camp stays or junior counselor/ leadership training options.
Homesickness
One of the biggest fears in sending a child away to camp is whether or not he or she will be homesick. Homesickness is best prevented by preparation. Here are some tips…
1. Involve your child in the decision to spend time away from home.
2. Tell your children that homesickness is normal, but that they can use strategies like writing letters home, sharing their feelings with other people, and thinking about all the good things that camp is giving them, to help ease their worry.
3. Arrange for a practice time away from home, such as a two- or three-day stay with relatives.
4. Practice writing letters, and supply pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelopes and paper before the child leaves home.
5. Before the separation, don’t make comments that express anxiety or ambivalence about the child going away. Even “I hope you’ll be okay” or “what will I do without you” can leave a child worried that something bad might happen to them or their parents, and make them preoccupied with thoughts of home.
6. Use a calendar to show exactly the amount of time a child will be away, if that's known. Predictability and perspective on the length of separation is important whenever possible.
7. Don‘t make a “pick up plan” or a deal with a child to bring he or she home if they don’t like the experience of being away. This undermines the child’s sense that their parents have confidence in their ability to be on their own, and set an expectation that they won’t like the new experience.
8. Above all, know whether your child is really ready for a separation.
Helpful websites:
www.campparents.org
www.summercamp.org