As summer advisers we pride ourselves in the recommendations we make so that every child can have a wonderful summer experience.

Increasingly, we are hearing from parents of LGBTQ kids. This may include transgender and gender non-conforming children of any age. They call us searching for an overnight camp or summer teen experience where their child will feel at home. As advisers on summer programs, we are witnessing a shift in the mindset and the narrative in our industry as these numbers are rising. Camps are faced with decisions about where to bunk kids and teen trips grapple with which tent does a camper get assigned. The wonderful aspect of these challenges, the summer programs tell us, is that campers are universally accepting and don’t struggle the way their parents or summer program directors do. We watch as summer camps and teen experiences find creative ways to work this through. There are camps for LGBTQ kids. At some the issues are addressed specifically, others are simply a caring and embracing community where all campers are welcome. The latter might be a good camp for trans kids or non-binary kids as well. An arts camp this summer will have a non-gender specific cabin that will embrace all gender expressions.

At Tips on Trips and Camps we have ongoing discussions about these topics so we can help lead as the industry navigates this ever-changing landscape. Interesting times!

We’ve all heard about encouraging our kids to find their passion, but it’s often connected to college admissions, or a future career, or some other measurable goal. A recent New York Times article offered a different view by showing how following a passion can contribute positively to self-care. A productivity expert quoted in the article said, “there’s moments where time almost has no meaning because we’re so happy about what we’re doing. The more time you can spend in that zone, the better life feels.” While the expert was not speaking about sleepaway camp, there’s no truer way to describe the experience kids often have while away at camp. In addition to exposure to new people, situations, and activities, camp offers children long stretches of time to try-on and develop passions. The activity doesn’t matter – it’s the joy in the discovery. And being immersed in an enjoyable activity adds up to a lot of good self-care. The idea that engagement = self-care is an important one to consider as we parent our children.

Self-care is all about the choices we make for our schedules. By sending our kids to sleepaway camp, we are offering them a safe space to figure out what they enjoy, and what matters to them. And we are giving them a chance to learn how to cultivate a passion, which is not a skill everyone has. Learning to try, fail, and try again are the skills we need to encourage to help children grow into adults who aren’t afraid to seek out new things on the road to finding their passion. Just by feeling confident that they can attempt new things will provide our children with a more joyful approach to life. While we can’t guarantee that our children will enter adulthood with a lifelong passion, we can do our best to give them the skills to find one.

What comes after sleepaway camp?

When your teen ages out of their camp or decides they are ready for a change, you, being the awesome parent that you are, will suddenly have to gear up for summer planning again. The good news is that you already know who to call for help! There are great options no matter your child’s interest or schedule. Teen-only sleep-away camps, travel to places near and far, service projects in deserving countries, language immersion, and pre-college exploration are some of the ways your teen can spend their summers.

Here’s just a taste of the teen summer programs offered for 2019:

• For the shutterbug: two weeks studying photography in Cuba
• For the animal lover: elephant conservation in Thailand
• For the scientist: three weeks of marine biology in the Caribbean
• For the CSI enthusiast: hands-on crime scene investigation studies on a college campus
• For the gamer: two weeks honing their e-sports competitive skills
• For the service-minded: helping post-hurricane clean-up efforts in Puerto Rico
• For the chef: farm to table adventures in Italy
• For the artist: three weeks dedicated to art on an Irish farm

Tips on Trips and Camps advisors will guide you through the many program types, and help you, and your teen, find the best choices for their post-camp summers.

The trunk and duffle bag are ready for filling, the name tags are in place, and now it’s time to choose a few treats for stashing in between your camper’s essentials. I’m not talking about candy or cell phones. Books are the treat that every camp welcomes and hopes to find with your child’s sneakers and shower tote. Whether you have a child who enjoys reading or not, my best summer camp advice is to send along a few books. Many kids discover a love of reading at camp, and rest hour and bedtime are perfect times for trying a new book.

I recently asked children’s author Lauren Abbey Greenberg for her picks for best new books for campers. I highly recommend Lauren’s new book, The Battle of Junk Mountain (description below), which is set in Maine and perfect for 4^th-6^th graders. Each title links to Amazon for easy ordering.

Chapter book (grades 2-4)

Beep & Bob: Too Much Space! (Aladdin) Written and Illustrated by Jonathan Roth (part of a series) After being humiliated while on a field trip to Pluto, Bob, with the help of his alien friend Beep, tries to change his personality and overcome his fears (heights, darkness, space, and spiders) before the next field trip to a black hole.Middle Grade (grades 4-6)

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street (Aladdin) by Lindsay Currie A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful mystery.

Hello, Universe (Greenwillow Books) by Erin Entrada Kelly Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships. Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero).

The Battle of Junk Mountain (Running Press) by Lauren Abbey Greenberg A 12-year-old girl returns to the Maine coast, hoping for another carefree summer but finds herself confronting a strained friendship, a grandmother who’s a hoarder, and the danger of trying to hold on too hard to one’s past.

The Science of Breakable Things (Random House Books for Young Readers) by Tae Keller Middle schooler Natalie’s year-long assignment to answer a question using the scientific method leads to truths about her mother’s depression and her own cultural identity.

Legends of the Lost Causes (Henry Holt and Co.) by Brad McLelland and Louis Sylvester An action-packed adventure set in the Wild West filled with a band of orphan avengers, a cursed stone, and a horde of zombie outlaws.

YA / Teen Reads

Children of Blood and Bone (Henry Holt and Co.) by Tomi Adeyemi Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of maji, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.

One of Us is Lying (Delacorte Press) by Karen McManus “Pretty Little Liars meets Breakfast Club.” When the creator of a high school gossip app mysteriously dies in front of four high-profile students, all four become suspects. It’s up to them to solve the case.

The Hazel Wood (Flatiron Books) by Melissa Albert Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get.