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Summer Camp... It Can Make Or Break A Child

By Mary Windisch


     If you are thinking of sending your child off to summer camp, hopefully it is not because you want a 6-8 week vacation from the child. Rather, it is hoped that as a youngster, you, personally, have wonderful memories of being at summer camp. It would follow then, that you want your child to experience camp and have those same wonderful memories. The following list sets forth some important steps you need to take to insure that the camp experience will be a positive one for your child:

1. Don’t just read a camp brochure and assume that everything it says is true. It will tell you that they provide a social and emotional experience for your child. That’s a very tall order. Easier said than done, and not all camps deliver.
2. You must visit the campsite. Get a first-hand look at the accommodations with an eye for cleanliness and safety. Tour the kitchen and bathroom facilities, looking there also for cleanliness. Make note of the recreational facilities. Are they well maintained, and is there enough variety to satisfy your child’s preferences?
3. Talk with the Camp Director personally. Ask, “What is the return ratio of campers?” Ask, “What is the return ration of counselors and other workers?” Tell the director what your child’s needs and expectations are, and ask how the camp will meet them. Tell the director you wish to speak with a counselor and also the health personnel. If there is hesitancy or refusal to make this happen, know that this is not the camp of choice and continue your search.
4. If, on the other hand, you are free to speak with a counselor, ask, “How will this camp nurture my child?” Indicate that the child is shy and ask, “What effort will be made to draw the child out and build confidence?” Also ask, “Will comfort and assurance be given to a frightened child?” There should be a ready and acceptable answer to these questions.
5. When you speak with camp health personnel, advise them of any health problems your child has, such as allergies, frequent headaches, a recently healed bone fracture, etc. List the medications your child takes and have a schedule written out for dosage and times. You might even mention that your child is fair-skinned, and has to be reminded to apply sun screen on a daily basis. A bad sunburn can totally ruin--and may even end--the camping experience for the child.
6. If all your questions about the campsite and personnel are answered to your complete satisfaction, then ask your child if everything meets with his or her approval. To not do so sends a message to the child that they are just being “put” somewhere for the summer, rather than being given a choice or a voice in the matter. If it is obvious that the child is excited and can hardly wait to pack up and go to camp, you can be as happy as they are. However, if the child does not exhibit delight, DO NOT say disparaging things to try to make him or her change their behavior, e.g., “Oh, stop being such a baby!” You will only make things worse. Instead, ask exactly what it is about the camp they don’t like. Do precisely what you would want a camp counselor to do. Hear them out, and give a common sense answer to every aspect of their concerns. DO NOT resort to force. Never say, “You are going because I said so!” Say something to the effect, “Remember how I have told you many times about the fun I had at camp? I’m so glad my parents sent me, and I don’t want you to miss out on that experience in your life.”
7. One thing further you could tell your child if they still do not feel good about going is that they will not be cut off from you. There is always the telephone. They can call you about any problem or if they just want to hear your voice. Make a little bet with them that they will be so busy and having so much fun that they won’t even think to make a call for a week.

     Whether you have a precocious child or one that hangs back, when the time comes to pack up, enlist their help in compiling a list of things to take. They may think of something you would have overlooked. One of the most important things to take is a camera. The disposal ones with a flash are perfect for children. Pack several, but not before you have demonstrated how it works. Let them take a few shots, such as them packing up, you and dad waving “goodbye”, and perhaps the bus driver who will take them to camp. Pray that they have good weather and the time of their lives!

     Happy Summer- Happy Camping!

     Mary Windisch lives in Mayfair, N.E. Philadelphia. She recently retired from twenty years of service with the federal government, where she was a supervisory Supply Specialist, making spare parts available to all branches of the military. She has taken a course to write children’s books and is currently attempting to be published. She is an avid crafter and gardener. A good deal of her time is also spent taking care of two grandchildren.