Summer Camps
This time of year, I hear from many parents who are anticipating the summer camp season, wondering if their children are ready for camp and, if so, how to make it a good experience for the first-time camper. With that in mind, here is an encore of a column from earlier years. Here's to a summer of happy campers!
There is no magic age at which kids are old enough to go to camp, but there are signs of readiness to check for as you make this decision together:
Is your child comfortable being away from home overnight? Has he or she spent the night at the home of a friend or relative without becoming frightened or homesick?
Does your child express needs and feelings clearly to others? Camp counselors may not always pick up on subtle cues, so it's important that kids speak up when they need something. You can teach and encourage this skill before your children's first camp experience, letting them know it's OK to tell someone if things are not going well.
Is your child relatively at ease around new people? This is not to imply that a shy child should not go to camp. But if a child is reserved around new people, you may want to be especially careful in choosing a camp and preparing your child for the experience.
Finally, is your child interested in the adventure of going to camp? As with many other childhood activities, camping generally goes best when children feel it is their own choice rather than their parents'. o Involve your child in choosing the camp. Camps vary as to location, activities, whether they are co-ed or not, and length of stay. Involving children in the decision makes the experience truly their own.
Once you decide your child is ready, you can take several steps to help you all feel more prepared. A first camping experience can set the tone for years to come, so getting emotionally ready is important. It may be a good idea to lead up to camp by practicing separations from home. This might mean arranging overnight visits to a friend's house, participation in a day camp, or even a two-night camping experience as offered for younger children by some camps.
Talk with your child about what to expect at camp. Get all the information you can about the daily schedule, rules and activities. Look at pictures of the camp and, if possible, arrange for your child to talk with a counselor or former camper. Fear of the unknown is one of the biggest sources of anxiety for new campers.
Make a homesickness plan. Even for the best prepared camper, homesickness often strikes. Let your child know that this is common, and talk about steps to fend off feelings of sadness and loneliness. Be sure you know camp policy about such things as phone contact with parents, then be clear with your child about what the camp will and will not allow if homesickness becomes a problem.
Finally, help your child pack a little bit of home to take along to camp. A familiar pillow or blanket or a picture of the family can help a child feel closer to home. And don't forget to slip into your child's bag a few surprise notes from you--and to mail postcards in advance, reminding your child how eager you'll be to hear about this great new adventure.
Editor's Note: Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson, director of the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth and Family Consortium, invites your questions on child rearing for possible inclusion in this column. E-mail to mferick@tc.umn.edu or write to Growing Concerns, University of Minnesota News Service, 6 Morrill Hall, 100 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
