When it comes to making a decision on whether to send your son or daughter to a camp or not, it’s imperative to separate your child’s readiness from your readiness. It’s very true that some parents will say that their children aren’t ready, but in a real sense it’s the parents who aren’t ready. Overnight Camp specialist have observed that more than 90 percent of children finishing second grade are old enough to be successful for a 2-3 week camp term, however, only 5 percent of the parents believe they can.
Some years ago, most parents ardently waited for the day they would drop their kids off at a overnight summer camp. Sending the child to a camp would give them a few glorious weeks to happily concentrate on their usual duties and have fun. Basically, they enjoyed a relief from the frenziedly pace children require. Well, that was then. Nowadays things are a bit different because parents are finding it more difficult letting their children go to an overnight camp. Most parents find themselves in a hard-to-make decision position, wondering if they can trust that their children will be protected and all their needs fully met when at the camp. However, with advancements in communication, the parents are now more comfortable than ever they can remain in touch with their children.
Michael Thompson, a psychologist and the author of Homesick and Happy, put forth that children usually become more flexible, competent, confident, and independent when they’re presented with new opportunities to solve problems, make decisions, and try new stuff without their parents’ supervision. Without a doubt, the perfect environment to foster such growth is Overnight Camp. Sending your child off to a camp simply means you’re giving the gift of letting go…”to let go of your importance in your child’s life to make space for someone else and new experiences.”
The bonus tip to manage your parental uneasiness is good preparation. First you need to take your time to choose the perfect camp for your child. Do your research. You can even ask your friends who often send their children to camps to give their recommendations. Approach the camp directors to find out whether the staff members go through thorough training. See if the camp provides thrilling physical opportunities for the kids and the strategies set in place to manage the risks. If you’re not satisfied, don’t feel obligated to send your child there, just move on until you get the desired answers to your questions.
The second important step is preparing your child psychologically. Some child will find the idea of going to a camp scary, so it would best to have him or her spend a couple of nights away from home with relatives or even friends. If they manage this successfully, they’ll probably find it easy to transition to camp. Also, it’s imperative to familiarize the child with camp-basic skills like stowing toiletries, sorting laundry and using a headlamp or flashlight. You can also familiarize yourself with the overnight camp rules and daily schedules simply by downloading information from camp websites or asking your camp advisor.
It’s very important to show confidence in the child’s ability to be successful and enjoy good moments at camp. This matters a lot. Overnight Camp experts advise parents not to express their uneasiness around the children. If your child is allergic to certain foods, or has medical issues, let the staff know ahead of time. Be sure to go through the parent brochures and make it your duty to follow the rules concerning communication when your child is attendance at the camp. In case you’re in doubt, you can call the camp and speak with the directors to ease your concerns.
Dropping her or him off at the camp is often a bittersweet experience. When that comes, just hold back those few tears and give your child a smile. Since there are only limited camp years available for a child, it’s therefore your job to prepare the child once she/he is ready.
Pick-up day is a joyful moment as you hug your somehow wiser child and feel re-energized when the child arrives home with very interesting camp stories. The child will be eager to share the stories as you drive back home. Even though others may have few words, the eyes will clearly tell you the difference; the child will have found parts of herself or himself that they never knew existed.
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