“WHERE EVERY CHALLENGE IS AN INVITATION TO GROW, AND EVERY ACTIVITY, A CHANCE TO GLOW”
Spring is finally here! This is a great time to finalize plans or, if you have not yet started thinking about what your child will do this summer, begin the process. It is not too late.
Every year I speak to many families about what they would like their child to do over the summer months. Especially in the case of camps, there seems to be a fear of not “picking the right one”. Honestly, in most cases, a child will do well at any number of programs. Instead of thinking there is one right camp and the rest are wrong, approach the conversation with the notion that there can be multiple programs that can work. Do your research by speaking to directors, asking for references, and consulting a camp advisor. It may end up being a toss-up and that is just fine. It’s a WIN/WIN!
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Secondly, there is a level of comfort in a brother/sister camp that makes for a great benefit. Sometimes one sibling is more hesitant to venture off to camp, while the other is counting down the days. In this situation, it is comforting to know siblings have each other. If there is a bit of typical homesickness in the beginning, the directors can arrange for siblings to see each other. This situation was what my daughter experienced at camp during her second year. Even though she attended camp the previous summer, she was bit homesick at the beginning of her second summer. Luckily, my daughter was able to connect with her younger brother after dinners. This small moment of togetherness helped her quickly overcome her homesickness and instead became immersed in her side of camp. Furthermore, there is a deeper connection and bond that can occur between siblings when at a brother/sister camp. Although each child will inevitably have their own unique experience, they also will bond over shared specialty counselors and evening events. My son and daughter each came home rattling off their favorite meals, comparing favorite counselors, and competing over who swam the most laps for SCOPE, their camp charity event.
There is a sign that hangs in our summer cottage that reads, “If you get lost, come straight back to camp.” The quote is attributed to L.L. Bean, who posted this directive on the wall of his own hunting camp in Northern Maine in the early 1900s. I am reminded of it as the kids go back to school and the memories of camp slowly begin to be replaced by classes, sports commitments, and the rhythms of the fall schedule.
