tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36586080902842664192024-03-12T21:35:05.255-07:00Summer CampMiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-16632231999572312282015-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:002016-06-29T14:40:56.518-07:004 Questions to Help You Assess: Is My Child Old Enough for Summer Camp?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Parents often wonder if their children are old enough to go to a sleep-away </span></span>camp. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Beyond the obvious “it depends” consider these situations I’ve seen.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Two girls first attended camp for 3 1/2 weeks as 6-year olds, and returned to camp enthusiastically for many years.</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">A 7-year old came for a week and was exceedingly homesick.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">She returned 2 years later and flourished.</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">A 6-year old camper was not at all homesick, but wasn’t able to participate in a large group setting where she needed to follow rules.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">She returned at age 8 and enjoyed an outstanding summer.</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">An 11-year old came to camp for the very first time for seven weeks. She appeared timid when she arrived, yet after one week in a cabin she wholeheartedly embraced all aspects of camp and thoroughly enjoyed camp.</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">An 8-year old came to camp knowing only minimal English.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">The girl was homesick the first two nights, but otherwise smiled broadly, made friends and her English improved dramatically.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The success of each camper was less age-dependent and more aligned with the child’s independence, his or her ability to participate in a group and the signals a parent sent to his or her child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mull over these four questions as you consider if your child is ready for summer camp:</span></div>
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Has your child successfully completed a sleepover away from home?</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Can your child participate in a group without having attention focused solely on him and his needs?</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Camp is a place where everyone takes turns clearing the dining table, each camper helps keep the cabin neat, swimming is only allowed at designated times and other group norms are necessary.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Can your child be </span></span>reasonably<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> quiet for an extended rest time and after taps?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Are you as a parent comfortable supporting your child and letting her try out her own wings without your constant vigilance?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These aren’t meant to be yes or no questions, as each can be enhanced just by being at camp. But if your child has gone to several sleepovers and each time the host parent has called at 11 p.m. for you to pick up your son, he may not yet be ready for camp. Or if your child is 6 or 7 and hasn’t yet learned how to participate as a member of a group, then you may want to wait a year before you register her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">On the other hand, a child doesn’t need to be pleading to go to summer camp. A timid child may enthusiastically embrace camp. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A family who offers positive encouragement and a child who is able to learn how to cooperate in a group is ready for the gift of sleep-away summer camp</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">.</span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-62785215816969597062015-08-15T11:10:00.001-07:002015-08-26T10:42:33.406-07:00You're Magical<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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The five seven- and eight-year olds giggled racing up the path to the archery field. I tried without success to keep up. Out of breath when I arrived, I took a seat beside the archery counselor, the five newest archers arrayed in front of us. </div>
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I had reminded all five girls before heading up to the archery field that they needed to tie their hair back and that they must wear close-toed shoes. They could not participate wearing crocs. </div>
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Yet as the counselor explained the rules she scanned the campers' feet, stopping as she saw Jenna's footwear. </div>
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"You're wearing crocs."</div>
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"I don't have sneakers, " Jenna responded, "I guess I'll just have to watch then."</div>
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"Are you sure you don't have sneakers?"</div>
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A shrug of the shoulders, "I didn't see any."</div>
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Jenna's eyes welled up with tears as she sat quietly, her hopes of trying archery for the first time, dashed. </div>
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Hmm, I thought to myself, any parent who sends a daughter to a one-week sleepaway camp with a trunk that a moose could hide in must have sent sneakers. </div>
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"I'll be right back," I told the counselor. </div>
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Arriving in Jenna's cabin, I heaved open her trunk and peered in at myriad zip-loc bags each neatly labeled, "pjs", "shorts", "T-shirts." Below the clothing bags were an assortment of craft projects and below that extra bottles of sunscreen and bug repellant. Carefully working my way through the layers, I found at the bottom, a pair of brand new, never-been-worn, pink sneakers. I grabbed them and headed back to the archery field where four of the campers were receiving bows and arrows. </div>
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Jenna saw me and a smile lit up her face. </div>
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"You're magical!" she broadcast. </div>
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I smiled in return; that was the best compliment I could receive from a camper. </div>
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-21924175391272254692015-08-04T04:36:00.000-07:002015-08-04T04:36:48.020-07:00Dumpster Diving and Baby Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWOVDVw20Sk/VcCjfVee32I/AAAAAAAAJtk/N8eMdWV2Hdw/s1600/by%2Bthe%2Blake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWOVDVw20Sk/VcCjfVee32I/AAAAAAAAJtk/N8eMdWV2Hdw/s200/by%2Bthe%2Blake.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Walking by the camp office after breakfast, I was enthusiastically greeted with a shout from a petite camper standing by the dumpster, “Kate, come here! We need your help! Our cabin trashcan dropped in. Can you get it?” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“No problem,” I quickly responded. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I looked in and there was no trashcan in sight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Are you sure? I don’t see a trashcan.”
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh, I think it was dropped in yesterday. We can’t find it.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Kate, there’s a baby bird on a rock by our cabin, what should we do?” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And as I walked past the bathroom, “Kate, my toothpaste is too spicy. I can’t brush my teeth.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Which was quickly followed by, “Ow! My brush is stuck in my hair. Kate, can you get it out?” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each of these minor obstacles, was a refreshing reminder of simple pleasures— clean teeth, caring for other creatures, snarl-free hair, recovering a lost object— all of which each camper managed on her own with only a little guidance. And the trashcan? It was found where it had been left beneath a tree, no dumpster dive required. </span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-49415563538636232072015-07-29T04:44:00.000-07:002015-07-29T04:44:26.824-07:007 Favorite Gifts for Campers’ Care Packages 2015<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EGOU3ulEhGU/Vbi7lqcUNHI/AAAAAAAAJsc/N0u2KkpvJxM/s1600/books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EGOU3ulEhGU/Vbi7lqcUNHI/AAAAAAAAJsc/N0u2KkpvJxM/s200/books.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">As the camper ripped open her package, her shouts of delight were audible across camp.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">She pulled out a book, “Yay, it’s my favorite series!!” she shouted, a smile lighting up her face.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Watching campers open packages at camp, I consistently see and hear the most gleeful exclamations when a book is pulled out. This may be because only the most ardent readers receive books in care packages or possibly because books are the ideal gift to send to a camper. Books are useful, engaging, and don’t create cabin clutter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are 7 items girls have received at camp this summer and rated enthusiastically highly:</span></div>
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Books: The Land of Stories series is getting high accolades from campers</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Comic books! </span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Friendship yarn: this is brightly colored, cotton thread that typically can be found in packages of 10 or 12 or more skein</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">A new headband— an item that is much needed for anyone with long hair and often lost</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Uno card game— a tried and true favorite if your camper doesn’t already have a deck</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Stickers</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Fuzzy socks to wear to bed</span></li>
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And one item is sufficient. Campers are often most excited just to see their names on the package list.</div>
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Best items you want to share for sending a camper? Comment and let us know.</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-1137407097214563422015-07-15T10:02:00.003-07:002015-07-15T10:04:07.424-07:00Heading to Camp, Need Transition Advice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoy your time with your camper this week! </span></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many camps have websites with photos from the summer so far. Look at the photos together and share what she may be thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remain positive. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Say Good-bye Cheerfully.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you have any last minute concerns, check in with your camp directors. Let your child make her own way in the precious present.</span></div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-77104075049938203352014-12-15T08:14:00.000-08:002014-12-15T08:14:00.489-08:008 Easy Hanukkah Gifts or Stocking Stuffers for Your Camper<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nBaD7Yny0w/VI8H4N69teI/AAAAAAAAJT8/Fbc26Z8jozI/s1600/cards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nBaD7Yny0w/VI8H4N69teI/AAAAAAAAJT8/Fbc26Z8jozI/s1600/cards.JPG" height="206" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hanukkah starts tomorrow night; Christmas is just two weeks away; and you could still use a few small ideas for your summer camper, right?</span></div>
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Any of these eight small gifts are perfect for stuffing into stockings or wrapping up one each night of lights.<br />
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Water bottle— hot summer days may seems ages away right now, but water bottles are well-used at summer camps to keep active campers hydrated. </li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Stickers— often these are freebies from your favorite haunts. Campers personalize water bottles and trunks with stickers and can never have too many.</li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Note cards— while this one may be somewhat self-serving, if you would like to receive letters from camp, you can still find (or make!) fun cards or a <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2014/04/letter-writing-kit-ideal-pre-camp.html">letter writing kit</a> to pack in your child’s trunk.</li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Photo in a plexiglass frame— enjoy the photo now and pack it up come summer to place on a cubby by your camper’s bunk.</li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Head lamp— a head lamp is a necessity at camp for reading after taps or seeing the sink while simultaneously putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. </li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Toothbrush case— speaking of brushing teeth, find a few colorful toothbrush cases and a soap case to keep bristles pine-needle free.</li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Shower caddy— as you’re out shopping keep your eyes open for a small plastic “bucket” that can hold shampoo and soap and sit on a shower floor in the woods.</li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px;">Playing cards— campers can never have too many decks of cards!</li>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-58114146573934624022014-11-06T10:08:00.002-08:002014-11-06T10:08:25.336-08:00Tips for Terrific Off-Season Visits<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1stYuorXG4U/VFu4UfFechI/AAAAAAAAJO0/h6Ewevl_VH4/s1600/lakes%2Bedge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1stYuorXG4U/VFu4UfFechI/AAAAAAAAJO0/h6Ewevl_VH4/s1600/lakes%2Bedge.JPG" height="200" width="198" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Before the holidays fill your weekends, and before snowstorms limit your long distance driving, November is a great month to visit a camp friend.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">While staying in touch online has its merits, there’s nothing like visiting in person to rekindle summer memories from tipping a canoe to catching a frog to the prank you played on your counselor.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A few tips for a great visit:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">If you have an older sibling ready to visit colleges, see if a camp friend may live nearby or on the way.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Send a photo to camp for their Facebook page, newsletter or Instagram stream.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Take along photos from the summer or other objects to get past the awkwardness of reuniting away from a cabin on a lake.</span></li>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-66118901494622366632014-09-14T12:46:00.000-07:002014-09-14T12:46:01.325-07:00Northern Lights, Camp Skies<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Picnic, check. Beach blanket, check. Forecast for clear skies and northern lights, check, check! Having read about the fickleness of clear skies and northern lights even when they are predicted, we headed to the beach early to enjoy the rippled sand and sunset. Any northern lights sighting would be considered a bonus.
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The textures of the dune grass, sand flats and mottled western sky all beckoned to me and my camera saying, “hey, no need to wait for some elusive northern lights, look at our show.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What a show indeed. The deep oranges of the setting sun reflected off every surface and reminded me of one of the pleasures of summer camp— lake sunsets that never grow old.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Every evening campers and counselors drift to the water’s edge in ones or twos or threes to watch the sun’s departing show. While artificial lights creep across our cities and suburbs, </span></span><br />
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<span 11px="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">camp life celebrates natural darkness where only the occasional flashlight interrupts the moonlight dancing across the lake. Looking up into a star-studded sky and seeing a satellite slowing arcing past or spotting a shooting star or recognizing a constellation by name are gifts campers receive each summer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">These were the memories that flitted through my mind as I sat on the beach gazing north over the dark ocean, waiting expectantly for the northern lights.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Was there a green glow above the horizon?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Possibly.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Was it the aurora borealis?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Possibly, or possibly my </span>imagination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We looked up at the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia, enjoying the darkness and quiet. We may or may not have seen an the northern lights, but like a summer night at camp, we thoroughly enjoyed the delights of the night sky.
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-59719274764536622322014-08-15T09:27:00.002-07:002014-08-15T09:27:30.060-07:00Photo Journal of a Summer Camp Lake<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You think YOU miss camp?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What about me— a summer-camp lake?</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We summer-camp lakes yearn for the long days of summer with campers splashing and diving, kayaks and canoes gliding and sailboats heeling and even capsizing into our clear waters.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here, let me show you…</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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Before reveille the fog gently lifts.<br />
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Quietly campers gather along the beach to dip into my cool waters and rinse the sleep out of their eyes.<br />
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Soon it’s all hustle and bustle— canoes, rowboats, kayaks, water-skiers and torrents of swimmers.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The scene quiets down for a bit in the middle of the day and occasionally a passing rainstorm ripples my surface.</span></div>
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In the afternoon, screams of delight cascade over my waves as campers cool off by plunging down a slide or slipping on a water mat.
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As the sun sinks lower, rowboats quietly glide across my still waters.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Then, with the setting sun, comes a few hours of tranquility before the campers once again dive</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> i</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">n.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">See what I mean? It’s not easy begin a summer camp lake as autumn approaches.</span></span>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-69988582702405245732014-08-12T14:16:00.001-07:002014-08-12T14:17:44.600-07:00Pickup Day Patience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Pickup day is around the corner. Moms, dads and grandparents are eagerly anticipating watching their camper running enthusiastically toward their outstretched arms, jumping up in a big monkey hug and exclaiming, “Yay! You’re here! I have so much to tell you about camp!” </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Those parents and grandparents need a more realistic view of pickup day before they are disappointed in the lackluster greeting that may await. I have seen campers barely acknowledge their parents’ presence, let along offer a greeting, when pickup day arrives.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Campers are immersed in their own world, a world that for many children is not meant to intersect with their family or hometown friends or any other external touchstones. Camp is theirs and seeing their parents at camp may be jarring at best.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While some campers do greet their parents with a hug and a smile, many walk up warily, may not make eye contact and seem to forget all their manners as parents nudge them to say “thank you” to their counselors. Some even break into tears as they realize their summer surrounded by camp friends for 24 hours a day is coming to a close.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So what’s a parent to do? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>First</b>, acknowledge that your presence as a parent may be discomfiting to your child. As thrilled as you are to see your child, try to keep your excitement under wraps if you recognize that your enthusiasm is not being returned.</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Second</b>, her lack of attention to you is likely a reflection of her attachment to her camp friends, not her diminished love for her parents. Let her acknowledge your presence in her own time and in her own way.</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Third</b>, restrain from peppering your child with questions as you load up the car. Give him a chance to say his own good-byes while you distract yourself talking with the camp director or other parents or packing the car. </span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Fourth</b>, while good manners should not be overlooked, now may not be the best time to reprimand your child for not making eye contact or greeting his younger brother with a hug.</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Finally</b>, be patient. There will be plenty of time, perhaps on a long drive home down the east coast, to hear her stories. You have ten months before she heads back to camp— plenty of time to converse about her summer on the lake.</span></blockquote>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-4541277227727229242014-07-14T08:52:00.000-07:002014-07-14T08:55:12.946-07:00Fun Summer Camp Packages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the great benefits of summer camp is living clutter-free. Yet there is great happiness at mail time seeing your name is on the package list. So when you put together a care package for your camper this summer, keep in mind that receiving a package often is more exciting than any specific contents could possibly be. One creatively-decorated package with a few camp-friendly items is great treat for your summer camper.<br />
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Here are some ideas to include in an easy, fun package:<br />
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<li>A book. Perhaps the next book in a favorite series or a joke book for sharing with cabin mates.</li>
<li>A sticker to add to her trunk if she has one. </li>
<li>Notecards. Find fun ones made for campers and add some small stickers so he can decorate the cards himself.</li>
<li>A craft. Choose wisely. Crafts that work best have few parts and no paint. </li>
<li>Speaking of crafts... if your camper enjoys making friendship bracelets then a few more spools of thread in bright colors are always welcome.</li>
<li>A deck of cards. Cards are a great cabin pastime and a new, full deck may be just what the cabin needs after playing 100 rounds of Peon and bending a few too many cards.</li>
<li>Water bottle. It's been a wonderfully warm summer in many states, so if your camper doesn't already have a water bottle on hand, he would likely appreciate one.</li>
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And some tips when mailing your package:<br />
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<li>Check out r<a href="https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-regional-rate.htm">egional rate boxes</a> from the US Post Office for mailing your packages. If your camper attends a camp within a state or two from home, then these rates are a great value.</li>
<li>The box or envelope is part of the package so decorate the shipping container too! Get out your indelible markers and a box of stickers and be a child again as you decorate.</li>
<li>Have fun packaging up what's in the box. Put sticky notes on each item with knock-knock jokes or wrap the items up in colorful pages from recycled magazines.</li>
<li>Verify any do's and don'ts from your camp. Most camps do not allow food to be sent to campers for a multitude of sound reasons, not the least of which is helping your child have a healthy summer. So check if there are any items that cannot be sent.</li>
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The whole experience makes receiving a package fun at summer camp. Also check out <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2011/07/writing-your-camper.html">Writing Your Summer Camper</a> .</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-91887894902865152222014-06-18T05:15:00.000-07:002014-06-20T02:34:28.464-07:00First Day Of Camp Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">What’s the first day of camp like? Fun, bewildering, emotional, tumultuous, exhilarating, stressful, fabulous. Whether you’re returning for your 10th summer or arriving for your first, you are likely to be feeling a swirl of emotions.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Help minimize your camper's anxiety by talking through what she or he can expect on the first day of camp. Many camps may have some or all of the following activities as campers arrive on opening day, also check you camp website to see what arrival may be like.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Counselor Greeting</b>— as you arrive at camp whether in your parent’s car, a camp bus, or a van from the airport, there are likely to be counselors enthusiastically welcoming your arrival. Counselors arrive days before the campers to help get camp ready and they are <b>so excited</b> to greet you and get to know you!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Health Check-in</b>— most camps have newly arriving campers visit the camp nurse as they arrive to ensure all of your medical forms are in order and to answer any medical questions parents or campers may have.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b></b></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Cabin Settling </b>— camps have a variety of ways to introduce each camper to his or her cabin and cabin-mates. You will may have a chance to unpack a few belongings around your bunk, maybe hang up your swim towel and put a favorite stuffed animal on your bed.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Quick Goodbyes</b>— if your parents have brought you to camp, there will be time for a quick hug and good-bye before a counselor eagerly takes you to meet other campers and join in first day activities.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Get-to-know-one-another Games </b>— there will likely be games so you have a chance to get to know the names of some of the other campers and counselors and where places are around camp. Some campers are very nervous that they won’t be able to find the dining hall or get back to their cabin— you needn’t worry— counselors and staff are at camp to help you make the transition and find your way around.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b></b></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Refreshing Dip</b> — if it’s a hot day your camp may have time for a dip in the lake or the pool. All camps have important rules about behavior around the water that they will share with you.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>All Camp Dinner</b> — in general, the whole camp will gather together for dinner whether in a dining hall or outdoors, a hot meal or a casual supper. Counselors will help you find your way and ensure you have a place to sit if you’re not certain where to go.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>After Dinner Assembly or Campfire</b> — quite often camps have an all camp gathering the first night— maybe the camp will play a game, or learn songs, or have a campfire. Whatever the tradition at your camp the counselors and staff will be there to help you get to where you need to go and lots of returning campers will help you learn the words to camp songs and other camp traditions.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">These represent the general type of activities that many camps have on opening day. Read through the material your camp has provided for details on your camp’s first day activities.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Check out <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2014/04/managing-tumult-of-emotions.html">Managing a Tumult of Emotions</a> to encourage your child to talk about her feelings as well as <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-smooth-camper-drop-off.html">A Smooth Camper Drop-off</a> to help the parents on opening day. </span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-58990609825353190202014-06-11T12:50:00.002-07:002014-06-11T12:51:25.130-07:00School Camp Overlap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5O6_Z33RWTk/U5iylNOxGDI/AAAAAAAAI4o/b_b9uqa3s9U/s1600/bus+mirror.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5O6_Z33RWTk/U5iylNOxGDI/AAAAAAAAI4o/b_b9uqa3s9U/s1600/bus+mirror.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="s1">The end of the school year is colliding with the beginning of camp. You need to make some decisions about whether to miss the culminating school events or introductory camp days. What’s a parent to do?</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">First, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. You need to do what works best for your campers.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Some elements to consider:</span></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Does your child get more stressed by not having closure or is she nervous about late arrivals?</li>
<li>Is this year a milestone year at either camp or school?</li>
<li>What would he actually be missing in the final days of school— exams that are his springboard for college applications or a few days of cleaning out desks and lockers? And what would he actually be missing in the first few days of camp? </li>
<li>What are your commitments as a parent during the final days of school for your camper or her siblings?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Take the time to talk through the trade-offs with your child now, so when school ends and camp begins, your camper isn’t overly anxious about the choice that’s been made. And remind yourself and your child that it is valuable to set priorities and make decisions. You can’t dance at two weddings with one tush!</span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-27665420524362390052014-04-23T10:02:00.000-07:002014-04-23T10:04:48.750-07:00Managing a Tumult of Emotions<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZuMkmqZbXA/U1fxfmUyZ9I/AAAAAAAAIs8/qQPJlZYQipk/s1600/view+to+lake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZuMkmqZbXA/U1fxfmUyZ9I/AAAAAAAAIs8/qQPJlZYQipk/s1600/view+to+lake.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="s1">Spring is moving toward summer. The branches are budding, tulips are blooming and first time and experienced campers are turning their thoughts to the summer. Excited? Maybe. Nervous? Undoubtably. And the campers are equally excited and nervous! Seriously, campers, counselors, staff and parents all likely to be feeling some measure of excitement mixed with nerves. Consequently your home may have erupted in a tumult of emotions. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Especially for first time campers, the reality of heading away to sleep-away camp looms larger and larger with each passing day. Here are a few suggestions for guiding your child toward a positive first time overnight camp experience.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Give your child the opportunity to speak up and you to listen</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Perhaps he wants to tell you about the dream he had about camp last night. Try to build in a few extra minutes in the morning to let him relate his feelings. Or maybe someone at school told her that going away to summer camp is crazy— “that sounds so scary!” Share an afternoon snack together and hear what she has to say about what she is feeling.</span></blockquote>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ol start="2">
<li>Look at photos on the camp web site</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Nearly every camp has a website with a plethora of photos from summers past. Sit down with your child and go through the photos, taking the time to hear his reactions and questions.</span></blockquote>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ol start="3">
<li>Select a trunk</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Many campers pack there belongings in a trunk for the summer. If you don’t already have one, now is a good time to find one. Here are a few <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2014/03/time-for-trunks.html">tips on finding a suitable trunk</a>. </span></blockquote>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ol start="4">
<li>Be honest</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Feeling nervous, scared and excited are all emotions that both new and returning campers are feeling right about now. Acknowledge her emotions and let her know that what she is feeling is normal— kids all over are feeling very similar emotions as they too look towards summer camp. If she asks, "What if I want to come home," <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-calm-pre-camp-jitters.html">here are a few responses</a> to have in your pocket.</span></blockquote>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<ol start="5">
<li>Carve out time to prepare for camp </li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Set aside time when the two of you can prepare for camp </span><span class="s2">together</span><span class="s1">. Maybe you’ll take a trip to buy toiletries, or <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2014/04/letter-writing-kit-ideal-pre-camp.html">make a letter writing kit</a>, or fill out his camp forms. Focus on an activity that will both help him prepare for camp mentally as well as give him a chance to talk about what he is thinking. Whatever you choose make it a parent-child event. </span></blockquote>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-17344872980999136642014-04-02T09:28:00.000-07:002014-04-02T09:29:46.522-07:00Letter Writing Kit: ideal pre-camp project<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8IG5dZIpyM/Uzw5iojYtCI/AAAAAAAAIo8/s3kaapQg3n8/s1600/pencil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8IG5dZIpyM/Uzw5iojYtCI/AAAAAAAAIo8/s3kaapQg3n8/s1600/pencil.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="s1">Our physical mailboxes have become somewhat archaic, but at <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2011/07/writing-your-camper.html">summer camp mail time</a> can be an event unto itself. Assembling a camp writing kit opens up a chance to talk about what your child is feeling about going to overnight camp and as a bonus creates a stepping stone to a successful transition.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Together search for the following:</span></div>
<div class="p3">
</div>
<ol>
<li><b>A writing box or writing folder</b>— a shoe box works well, or a colorful folder with pockets. Either can be decorated, which often becomes a project unto itself.</li>
<br />
<div class="p3">
</div>
<li><b>Writing paper</b> — if you are channeling Martha Stewart you can make your own, but you may well have plenty of odds and ends of notecards and writing paper already on hand. Gather them together and let your child select the ones she wants to take. Help her pre-fold the paper to fit the envelopes. </li>
<br />
<li><b>Stamps</b> — take a trip to the post office and let him pick out the stamp design. Or go online where you can still buy the <a href="https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNavIds=catBuyStamps%3asubcatS_S_Commemorative&categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&productId=S_470074&categoryId=subcatS_S_Commemorative">Disney Pixar collection</a>. If she will be writing family and friends outside of the country, remember to buy international stamps. Now mailing a standard international letter or a postcard from the United States costs $1.15 regardless of destination country.</li>
<br />
<li><b>Addresses</b> — who does she want to write from camp? Who does he know that will write back? You may want to select an aunt or uncle or teacher who is likely to return his correspondence, especially if he will be away for 2 weeks or longer.</li>
<br />
I find pre-addressed envelopes invaluable for 7, 8 and 9 year old campers, and pre-printed labels valuable for just about everyone at camp— including the camp director! If you’re working on your child’s penmanship then she can write out the envelope addresses for herself, but otherwise, print out the addresses on labels or directly on the envelopes.
<br />
<br />
In any case, have the addresses written out before heading to camp. When a child has worked carefully on writing a lengthy missive of her morning and then the rest bell rings, she is unlikely to take the time to address the envelope before jumping into her bathing suit and running down to the lake. So if you are looking forward to receiving her letters in your mailbox rather than when you open her trunk in August, you will benefit by pre-addressing the envelopes.<br />
<br />
<li><b>Pencils with erasers and a sharpener</b> — if your child is used to writing in pen then include pens, but often students use pencils exclusively for writing at school. Including colored pencils gives her the option of decorating her letters as well— sometimes pictures are more expressive than words. And I haven’t seen a cabin yet with a built-in pencil sharpener. So if you think he’ll write more than two letters, it’s a good idea to include one.</li>
</ol>
Carve out some time with your child this weekend, and together assemble a summer camp writing kit. You may be surprised what gets communicated before the letter writing has even begun.
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-47013661925215978252014-03-18T12:42:00.000-07:002014-03-18T12:43:58.206-07:00Counselors Pack for Summer Camp<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hWVgdc3EVf0/UyifpYwUOyI/AAAAAAAAIm4/qVuCWcMO2Xc/s1600/archery-013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hWVgdc3EVf0/UyifpYwUOyI/AAAAAAAAIm4/qVuCWcMO2Xc/s1600/archery-013.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
The sound of kids laughing as they run into the lake. The wind through the pine trees as you
drift off to sleep on your bunk.
Swapping riddles among a group of friends as you paddle a kayak. Whether
you are headed to work at a summer camp for your 1<sup>st</sup> or 40<sup>th</sup>
summer, take a moment to consider what is calling you to camp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Summer camps can be as inspiring and engaging for the
counselors as for the campers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
do you want to get out of your camping experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To ensure you offer the campers your best as well as feel
personally fulfilled, take a few minutes and jot down your answers to the
following questions before you pack your trunk.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>What will you do to be the best
counselor possible?</li>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .50in;">
Do you want to make time every
night to ask each camper about his or her great moment for the day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is your strength in recognizing and
helping homesick campers having been there yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or perhaps you’re the high-energy counselor who can
introduce five new games this summer. Pack your counselor goals in your trunk
along with your shorts and you’ll be more likely to keep those aims top of
mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .50in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
</div>
<li>What do you need to keep your
balance this summer?</li>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .50in;">
We all need balance when living
with, supervising and instructing campers all summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their young exuberance can be fabulous and refreshing or
just downright fresh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decide how
you are going to find space to keep a calm frame of mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .50in;">
Perhaps you need to find time to
take a run every other day, or finally work for your swimming honor or lead an
overnight trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about your
goals and keep yourself fulfilled so you can be that best counselor possible
for your campers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .50in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
</div>
<li>What can you bring to help you
achieve both 1 and 2?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .85in;">
Finally, do you need to bring
anything to fulfill your counselor and your personal ambitions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would a new pair of running shoes
inspire you to stick to your running goal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there a great book you want to pack to read to your
campers this summer (Wee Free Men is a humorous read aloud for young teens—your
campers may think you’re Scottish even if you’re from California). Do you have
the best waders for going frogging?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make room in your trunk.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When, oh so long from now, the last bugle echo recedes in
August, stop again and think about the camp skills you have gained that are
relevant for your college or employment career; more thoughts on that here: <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2012/08/campers-arent-only-ones-benefitting.html">Counselors Benefit From Camp Too!</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What are you packing for you and your campers this summer?</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-85137847323782812012014-03-10T11:46:00.000-07:002014-04-23T10:03:01.509-07:00Time for Trunks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gEOcfBbQ4aI/Ux4GZ1d9fEI/AAAAAAAAImY/IScymH4K970/s1600/packing+for+camp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gEOcfBbQ4aI/Ux4GZ1d9fEI/AAAAAAAAImY/IScymH4K970/s1600/packing+for+camp.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
Baseball opening day coincides with opening trunks to prepare for summer overnight camp. Now that spring training is well underway it’s time to locate your camp trunk.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Don’t have a trunk yet? No worries— here are the basics for purchasing and alternatives to purchasing a trunk whether you are headed to Minnesota, Maine or Michigan.</span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">For campers who spend more than 2 weeks at overnight camp, the most common container for packing is a camp trunk. It’s strong, reasonably good for organization, able to double as a card table for a game of Peon and has provided many campers over the years a way to reach the cabin rafters. If your child is likely to continue as a camper, then it’s probably worth investing in a trunk. </span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span class="s1"><b>Trunk considerations when purchasing</b></span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Strength</b></span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Look for one that is strong— trunks take all sorts of abuse not the least of which is in shipping. From the time a trunk is packed until it returns late in the summer, it’s likely to encounter a plethora of immovable objects. </span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">The strength of the trunk is probably the primary characteristic in the price of a trunk. Well-made trunks will cost more. Sadly the converse is not always true, so ask for brand name recommendations from your camp. Have a brand you recommend? Add a comment to this blog.</span></div>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Height</b></span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Most camps have standard height bunks and often campers store their trunks under the bunk. Find out the bunk height and trunk height before making your purchase.</span></div>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Shelf or tray</b></span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Nearly all trunks come with a shelf or tray, which allows for great organization at camp whether as a place to keep socks and underwear or writing supplies.</span></div>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Wheels</b></span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Wheels are a nice, but definitely not necessary option. They are helpful when rolling a trunk in and out of an SUV, but apart from that, rolling a trunk across the ground from a car to a cabin is a very bumpy event— most camp trunks get carried to and from cabins, ideally by campers and counselors.</span></div>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Handles</b></span></h4>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Handles seem to be the most often forgotten feature in camp trunks these days. Having hauled many different trunks from office to cabin, I have lifted only a few where the handle didn’t bite into my hand or cause the trunk to twist uncomfortably. As stated above, you can hope that your camper or his counselors will be carrying the trunk to the cabin. If you do find a trunk with comfortable carrying handles pass the word on!</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<h3>
<span class="s1"><b>Alternatives to purchasing a trunk</b></span></h3>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">With all of the airline restrictions in luggage, campers who are flying to camp often ship their belongings separately from their own travel. </span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Some camps offer options for campers with long journeys. Check with your camp about the following two possibilities:</span></div>
<div class="p3">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Renting or borrowing a trunk from camp for the summer. This way a camper can pack in duffles or suitcases and transfer his or her belongings upon arrival.</li>
<li>Storing your camper’s trunk at camp over the winter. Some camp store empty trunks for the winter, so belongings can be taken to and from camp in suitcases or other luggage more suitable to traveling by plane. In addition, your camper, if organized, can leave summer-only items like flashlights, stationary, bedside photos or even a camp blanket in the trunk for the winter.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="p1">
</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-32556493132593465142014-03-10T11:45:00.000-07:002014-03-11T04:44:29.445-07:00A Cabin in the Woods Wakes Up<div class="MsoNormal">
Lying half asleep on my cot, I hear the first stirrings of
the day as the sunlight peeks into the cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those first rays of sun are accompanied by the chirping of
birds, and soon followed by a cabin waking up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, truly, it seems as if the cabin themselves wake up each
new day at summer camp.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cahOaokTW18/UexmedGLLSI/AAAAAAAAII8/l-YuBsnYQ7E/s1600/camp+cabins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cahOaokTW18/UexmedGLLSI/AAAAAAAAII8/l-YuBsnYQ7E/s1600/camp+cabins.JPG" height="255" width="320"></a></div>
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First the rustling begins as campers move about half asleep
on their cots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A blanket slips
onto the floor here, a sleeping bag doubling as a comforter swishes over there.
Next comes the all out tossing and turning of campers, as one by one sleep
drops from their eyes and their eyelids flutter open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br>
<br>
Soon a book or a flashlight can be
heard hitting the cabin floor with a thud as it is knocked from a cubby amid
the restlessness. The clunk leads to a quiet giggle, which is accompanied by a
whisper across the bunks and soon thereafter the quiet “thump, thump” of stuff
animals being tossed from one bed to the next.<br>
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The giggles quickly compound and the chirping of the birds
fades into the background as whispers and muffled giggles ping off the cabin
walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span> footfall on the
wooden floor and the pitter-patter of small feet heading for the cabin door tap past my bedside as I keep my eyes closed, enjoying the sounds of a cabin
coming awake.<br>
<br></div>
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As the cabin door creaks open, the reveille bell
simultaneously rings out and the whispers quickly turn to happy voices and a
cascade of laughter.<br>
<br>
A cabin has awoken in the woods of Maine.</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-23967874701497880822014-02-19T11:16:00.002-08:002014-02-19T13:42:25.977-08:00Top 5 Benefits of Camp<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wGdpwz_ZXgU/UwUAFrQkKOI/AAAAAAAAIec/R4_zLTYF-gY/s1600/found+frog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wGdpwz_ZXgU/UwUAFrQkKOI/AAAAAAAAIec/R4_zLTYF-gY/s1600/found+frog.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
The snow may be piling up, but the days are lengthening— <b>Think Camp!</b> Why camp? Because overnight summer camp provides the foundation for many character elements we want to instill in our children.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Here are my top five benefits of summer camp:</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>Independence</b>. When a child needs to take care of the basics from addressing and stamping her own letters home to refilling the cornbread platter or changing out of her bathing suit and even (gasp!) hanging it up to dry, she is shaping her independence. Independence is a skill that is vital to success throughout life and great preparation for that day in the distant future when she heads off to college.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>Self-confidence</b>. Every day at camp a camper has the opportunity to try myriad pursuits whether holding the tiller of a sailboat for the first time or trying a new dive or leading a camp song by the campfire or feeding a goat. Trying a new pursuit and working diligently to become proficient are the foundations of how we each build self-confidence. Summer camp is a playground of new opportunities where every camper can try something new.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>Precious present</b>. In a world of electronics and hustle and bustle we all need time to slow down and be immersed in the precious present. Summer camp is a place to reconnect with the precious present as you hold a frog gently in your hands and watch it watch you.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>Positive role models</b>. Most summer camps pride themselves on the care their staff bestows upon each and every camper. Year after year young men and women return to summer camps to make positive connections with their campers. One may help an eight year old perfect his baseball </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="s1"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWnQvz1fl5A/UwUjf5Ru3iI/AAAAAAAAIe4/pOviLQCZJKk/s1600/cabin+at+sunset-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWnQvz1fl5A/UwUjf5Ru3iI/AAAAAAAAIe4/pOviLQCZJKk/s1600/cabin+at+sunset-002.JPG" height="241" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span class="s1">swing. Another laughs with her campers heading to morning dip. A third invites a quiet child to join in a game of spud. Many sit quietly with campers by the water’s edge to watch the sunset. We all need mentors and summer camps are filled with positive role models every child should have. Plus according to this New York Times blog <a href="http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/why-camp-counselors-can-out-parent-parents/" target="_blank">camp counselors can out-parent parents</a>.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b>Camaraderie.</b> How many times have I heard a former camper reflect nostalgically on camp saying, “I could be myself at camp, no pretenses like at school.” Campers return summer after summer for the camaraderie they find among friends who accept them for who they are. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1">Here are views from a few other folks who know something about camp and kids:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.acacamps.org/media-center/story-ideas/so-many-opportunities-why-camp" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American Camp Association</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/summercamp/article2.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PBS Kids</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">What are the benefits you see your child receiving at summer camp?</span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-70610901146793430322014-02-11T13:21:00.001-08:002014-02-11T13:25:52.089-08:00In a word: Relationships<div class="p1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6G-7VyW5bQg/UvqSRaSLzAI/AAAAAAAAIbE/RPYeLWytMBU/s1600/camp+word+bubble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6G-7VyW5bQg/UvqSRaSLzAI/AAAAAAAAIbE/RPYeLWytMBU/s1600/camp+word+bubble.jpg" height="400" width="328" /></a><span class="s1">A word cloud formed from blogs on the value of overnight camp for campers and counselors conveys the essence of camp, and perhaps, of life—relationships. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Relationships with friends and campers and counselors, and yes with parents too. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Relationships with counselors who live in the moment and serve as valuable role models for children. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Relationships among campers who learn and grow to meet their potential, who arrive with trepidation and leave camp with memories and lives changed through the relationships they form each summer.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Relationships between children and parents who give the gift of summer camp knowing a child can gain more self-confidence and responsibility in a few weeks of summer fun than nearly anywhere else in life.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Look into an overnight summer camp experience for your child this year. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">The blogs on which this cloud are based:</span></div>
<div class="p4">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.acacamps.org/blog/counselors/10-reasons-why-businesses-should-hire-former-camp-counselors">10 Reasons Why Businesses Should Hire Former Camp Counselors</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.acacamps.org/blog/parents-place/five-life-lessons-learned-sleep-away-camp">5 Life Lessons Learned from Sleep-Away Camp</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/todd-kestin/whats-needed-to-prepare-your-child-for-the-future_b_3777547.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false">What's Needed to Prepare Your Child for the Future? The Answer May Surprise You...</a></li>
<li><a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2012/08/campers-arent-only-ones-benefitting.html">Counselors Benefit from Camp Too!</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="p1">
</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-23078636352268631582013-06-26T17:08:00.001-07:002015-06-24T20:01:47.518-07:00A Smooth Camper Drop-off<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Taking a daughter to camp, especially the very first time, can be as exciting and worrying for the parent as it is for the camper. The key to a successful drop off on the first day of camp is to ensure both your and your child's needs are met in the transition. For your child, she needs to integrate with her peers and make a connection to camp life so she has a focal point other than the goodbye. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whether your child is clingy or independent, you need to balance giving her space and support to make that camp connection. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Your child can sense if you are distressed about leaving her, so it's also important for you to assure yourself that your child is in good hands. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few tips for balancing your needs and your child's needs on the first day of camp:</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Meet her counselors— learn their names </li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Meet any cabinmates who are around </li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Introduce yourself to other parents—this gives your daughter time to connect with her peers on her own </li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Help your daughter arrange a few items—maybe a photo she has brought from home, a jacket or laundry bag hung up. This setting up is truly more for the parent than the child. A parent wants to visualize her daughter’s space. For a camper, setting up is just a transitional pause before merging into camp life. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Well run camps will have transitional activities for the arriving campers whether they head directly to a meal, an activity or gather for a craft. And a counselor who is well trained will create a transition. When she does, take your cue and depart with a quick goodbye.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Leave a card and small gift—a book, card game, activity book—for her on her bunk as a surprise when she returns to her cabin.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<li>Smile as you depart—you want your daughter to think of you as happy that she’s at camp </li>
</ul>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-81927366117440967462013-06-09T13:32:00.001-07:002013-06-09T13:32:43.912-07:00Pack These in Your Trunk<div class="MsoNormal">
As a camp counselor there are a few items I consistently
notice are missing from camper’s trunks when they arrive at camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether your child is going away for a
week or seven weeks, the following essentials will likely be as valuable to you
as to your child’s camping experience.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Laundry Bag:</b> Your
young child, whether daughter or son, is unlikely to care whether she or he
wears the same underwear, socks and shorts every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And without a laundry bag, one of two events will likely
occur. Either she is neat and every night she will return her clothes to her
trunk and pull them out again the next day resulting in returning home with a
trunk full of clean, unworn clothes which makes laundry a breeze, but may not
be the outcome you desired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Alternatively, she is the not too meticulous with her belongings and her
clothing will be scattered across the cabin floor and under her cot where she
may pick it up to put it back on in the morning or the errant sock or shirt
will drift into the cabin trash or another trunk as it gets pushed beneath her
neighbors bunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, you won’t
have much laundry to do upon her return home, but then again you won’t have
many of her clothes either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A laundry bag is indispensible in helping to avoid both of
these outcomes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hang it up near
her cot, and hopefully most of her dirty clothing will find its way into the
bag rather than back into her trunk or under her neighbor’s cot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A laundry bag is certainly no guarantee
that she will find clean socks each morning or return with most of her
clothing, but it will certainly raise the odds.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No laundry bag on hand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Threading a shoelace through the hem of an old pillowcase
can make a simple one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pre-addressed and
stamped envelopes: </b>This is a second item that may be more valuable for you
than for your child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even a child
with clear handwriting can run out of time addressing the neatly penned letter
he just wrote during rest hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once the bugle blows your camper is more likely to run down to the lake
for a dip than to stop and address and stamp a letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even if he does try to quickly
address the envelope, it’s pretty easy to leave off the zip code when in a
hurry, or forget that postage to Grandma in Alberta is more than Uncle Herb in
Arkansas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Closed-Toed Water
Shoes:</b> Many camps disallow flip-flops as they lead to lots of stub toes and
lost toenails when running around camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet having footwear to quickly throw on when your camper is heading to
the pool is essential to maximize her time in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So along with a sturdy pair of
sneakers, find some closed-toed water shoes that also have some type of heel
strap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
While you don’t have to
spend a great deal to purchase footwear, remember that ill-fitting water shoes—especially
plastic shoes—can quickly lead to blisters and cuts as they are worn without
socks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find a pair that is
comfortable and quick to slip on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water Bottle: </b>Whether
he is heading out on a hike or just likes to have water by his bunk at night, a
water bottle is exceedingly convenient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most reusable water bottles aren’t the easiest to keep clean, so you
might want to take a few minutes showing him how to rinse it out between uses
and remind him to pour out old water before refilling it fresh.</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-41150018207087816902012-08-10T15:06:00.001-07:002012-08-10T15:10:59.237-07:00Welcome Home Gifts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNov-xhyCnE/UCWFrrmv_BI/AAAAAAAAH3g/ARSH_FWVlzI/s1600/post+camp+reader.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNov-xhyCnE/UCWFrrmv_BI/AAAAAAAAH3g/ARSH_FWVlzI/s200/post+camp+reader.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Summer camps are finishing up their fun-filled summers. How do you welcome your camper home? Here are a few gifts you can give to help him or her readjust to non-camp living.<br />
<h4>
1. Space </h4>
Sure they have been living cot to cot, maybe 50 campers sharing one bathroom and well over a hundred in the dining hall, yet somehow close quarters doesn’t translate well to family living.<br />
<h4>
2. Time </h4>
You may have been anxiously waiting 7 weeks for their return, but your camper may well be on a totally different time scale. Don’t expect instant re-engagement in family life—give him time. Going from 24 hour camp interaction to hanging out with mom and dad and little brother is abrupt.<br />
<h4>
3. Unfettered Internet Access </h4>
“What?!” you may be thinking, “she just spent the better part of a summer separated from technology and you’re advocating that she plug right back in?!” If she had access prior to camp she’s going to want to post her camp photos and yes, check in with the camp friends she just said good-bye to all of two hours ago.<br />
<h4>
4. Movie Out </h4>
Most campers don’t get out to movies during the summer, so there are likely several showing that he would like to see before school is back in session. Let him pick what to see for a family night out.<br />
<h4>
5. Chauffeur </h4>
An alternative to heading to a movie as a family, you can offer to drive her with friends to a movie, the beach or an amusement park. Many of the other parents may be chauffeured out by August, so step up and stay quiet behind the steering wheel.<br />
<h4>
6. Magazine </h4>
Pick up a copy of People or Us or some other weekly magazine for your camper to flip through without too much thought. Potentially gives you a visual on your camper as he may sit nearby as he mindlessly flips pages. Gives your camper both time and space, see above.<br />
<h4>
7. Book </h4>
For more avid readers have a new book waiting as an option to give her both time and space.<br />
<h4>
8. Favorite Dinner or Dessert </h4>
While the food at camp may have been delicious, it’s unlikely the cook knew exactly how to prepare her favorite pasta, brownie raspberry sundaes or peach pancakes. Now is a great time to cook up a few favorites.<br />
<h4>
9. Frame </h4>
Most photos are retained digitally these days, but it can be fun to have a favorite summer memory on her dresser or bedside table. Find a summer or friend-themed frame to have waiting for her and then let her chose a summer photo for you to print.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-89996234529699811442012-08-06T09:30:00.001-07:002014-02-11T12:37:17.086-08:00Counselors Benefit From Camp Too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VPsGOqqxafo/UB_xB4DhgoI/AAAAAAAAH3I/SLRRM8W92ko/s1600/clay+diving-015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VPsGOqqxafo/UB_xB4DhgoI/AAAAAAAAH3I/SLRRM8W92ko/s320/clay+diving-015.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Campers aren’t the only ones benefitting from summer camp. The American Camp Association reports that 1,200,000 adults are employed by camps. Consequently,<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> “What have you learned at summer camp?”</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
is a common question among camp directors assessing the productivity of their counselors, college admission officers selecting new students and hiring managers determining the value of a potential candidate.<br />
<br />
So whether you are 16 or 24, finishing your first year as a counselor or are a seasoned veteran, it can be helpful to take a few minutes to consider what new insights you developed over the summer.
Personally, two of my most memorable insights this summer may have little relevance in the workplace unless I change my career focus to outdoor culinary arts.<br />
<br />
While frogging I received numerous suggestions for the easiest way to remove a leech and now carry a piece of gauze when I head into bogs known for these (sometimes not so small) blood-sucking creatures. And one of my youngest campers introduced me to the culinary delight of bananas roasted plain over a campfire. Wrapping a banana in aluminum foil with marshmallows and chocolate creates a tasty, sugar-filled dessert, however, roasting a banana in 3” sections on a stick is a healthful delight that has the added benefit of creating no trash! Spinning either of these into compelling reasons to hire me might be a bit of a stretch, but either could certainly provide a few minutes of engaging introduction.<br />
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However, summer camp counselors do gain a plethora of valuable lessons each year that will be beneficial in classrooms, dorm rooms, and workplaces and yes, even in that far, distant future of parenting. When my camp director asked her counselors to mull over what skills were gained over the summer, common answers were patience, flexibility, organization, staying present—all of which are key for students, employees, roommates, and yes, parents. Although frequently a counselor adds, “and I don’t intend on being a parent any time soon!”<br />
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As you consider your college or job application, take the time to explain how you gained these skills and how you will be a better student, member of the college community or employee because you have benefitted from spending your summer as a camp counselor. Create a short story that encapsulates your learning and summarizes the benefits to your potential employer.<br />
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One afternoon I was gathering armloads of brush and tossing them into a truck. It was hot and sweaty and time-consuming work. The maintenance man came up to me and handed me a barn fork. A man of few words, he succinctly summed up his methodology, “save your arms for your boyfriend, use this barn fork.” From studying engineering to writing software code to designing business strategies to planning a family weekend, efficiency has been invaluable in both freeing up my time and making tasks more enjoyable in the process. As an employee I can get more done than my less efficient co-workers, and can also create processes to streamline the business overall.<br />
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Coupled with efficiency summer camp has taught me the value of assessing a situation before reacting. Hearing the high-pitched screams of campers racing toward me, I briefly wonder whether the Loch Ness monster has been sighted. However, before grabbing my camera and heading for the lake, I calmly request that the least flustered camper slow down and explain the cause of the agitation. Turned out, the camp goat had taken the liberty of investigating an inviting-looking cabin. A short pause for assessment can make the follow-up reaction far more successful. Livestock management to boating, classroom to business—life rarely rolls out as anticipated. Assessing the unexpected before reacting, has been a lesson I have learned and re-learned at summer camp where loose goats, capsized sailboats, and homesick campers are all in a morning’s work.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3658608090284266419.post-16649094493297736132012-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:002012-07-04T15:23:53.638-07:00Making the Most of Visiting DayLike many parents we are eagerly awaiting our first visiting day with our daughter at camp. After not seeing her for nearly 3 weeks, we imagine her broad smile as she catches a glimpse of me and my husband walking into camp and her racing beneath the pine trees arms outstretched to give us both a big hug around the neck. Ah, the sweetness of daydreams.<br />
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I still clearly remember the first time my parents visited me after 3 ½ weeks at camp. I wasn’t all smiles and joy, eager to share with them every moment of my leisurely days by the lake. I felt awkward introducing them to my friends and even felt like they were trespassing on my turf.<br />
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We need to remember that we are the foreigners on visiting day. Despite the fact that we raised them, helped them with homework, drove them to countless soccer matches and gymnastics meets, we may as well be just another viewer in the crowd at the Fourth of July parade for all of the attention our campers may chose to lavish upon us when we show up at ‘their’ camps. And make no mistake; it is theirs—their home, their friends, their place, their independence.<br />
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Some campers may run up and give mom or dad or grandpa a big hug and eagerly begin storytelling. However, an equal number may sit back and timidly acknowledge us as parents before running off for a game of tetherball without so much as a backward glance.<br />
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What to do?<br />
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<b>Be Patient</b> </div>
If your camper is reticent to hang out with you, be patient. Give her time to adjust to your presence in her place.<br />
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<b>Be Present </b><br />
You have a great opportunity to get a feel for the place he is living. Be observant, meet his counselor, talk with the director, look around camp.<br />
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<b>Be Pleased </b><br />
One of the benefits of summer camp is the opportunity for a child to gain independence. If your child isn’t running into your arms to ask you to wash her bathing suit or what she should do because her flashlight isn’t working , then perhaps she is starting to gain self-reliance.<br />
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<b>Be Positive </b><br />
When he is ready to hang out with you, listen to the stories he has to share without judgment. Let your child be comfortable that your visit won’t upset his equilibrium. Take in all that he wants to share.<br />
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Our daydreams may not materialize on visiting day, but with patience and a positive outlook we can leave our visit content that our child is soaking up the essence of summer camp.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0