Summer camp is in full swing for many campers, and a whole lot more are beginning to feel the trepidation of heading to camp in the next week. If you need a few tips to help you from now through opening day drop-off read on.
Enjoy your time with your camper this week!
Play card games, share a craft, sit and cuddle. You are both headed for a transition. Children absorb the anxiety that parents radiate, so try to maintain your own sense of calm and confidence. As you hang out with your camper, listen to the questions and concerns she may have. Let her know it’s natural to feel nervous, but reinforce the confidence you have in her to meet new friends and immerse herself in camp.
Many camps have websites with photos from the summer so far. Look at the photos together and share what she may be thinking.
Remain positive.
If your camper is experiencing anxiety over homesickness from last year, acknowledge his anxiety. Reassure your child that each summer brings new opportunities and new faces. There will be campers who have never been to camp before and your returning camper can help those campers learn the ropes at camp. Share a few strategies with your child to manage a difficult situation, whether it may be using pull-ups at bedtime or needing a nightlight or being nervous about not knowing how to swim. Encourage your camper to talk with her counselor if she has a concern— the counselors are enthusiastic and supportive role models and caregivers for your camper.
Pack Light.
Campers' days are filled with activities, and often their free time is playing a game of roots and rocks or other made-up games that don’t need any equipment. Save a few goodies, like a madlibs or a craft project to send to him in a care package while he is at camp. Keep the trunk light and clutter-free.
Say Good-bye Cheerfully.
When you take your daughter to camp and are ready to say good-bye, look her in the eye and with a big smile tell her you will see her soon and are looking forward to hearing all about her time at camp. Counselors are trained to scoop up campers and introduce them to camp. A book or an upbeat card left on her bed can be a fun surprise for her when she returns to her cabin.
Turn around and walk to your car, don’t let him see you cry. You are giving your camper an incredible gift. It is usually much harder for the parent to leave a child at camp than it is for the child to get into the camping routine.
If you have any last minute concerns, check in with your camp directors. Let your child make her own way in the precious present.
