Happy International Women’s Day!! I am normally not a fan of Hallmark or Social Media holidays, but I thought this one was worth mentioning. Why? Well to start, Tips on Trips and Camps was founded by women and after 50 years remains an all women organization. While we all have camp and a love for summer in common, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we are also a group of outstanding women with many skills and interests.
Who else deserves some love on International Women’s Day? All the women camp directors, camp moms, camp nurses and doctors and counselors. Whether they are teaching your children how to play a sport, resolve a conflict or just have fun, these women instill important values and lessons. They nurture and love your children of every age, from first time sleep away campers to teenagers on a trip. Nothing gives a mom more comfort than knowing another woman is there guiding the way.
Looking for that special woman to help you find a great summer camp/program for your children? Look no further and check out all these fabulous women.
https://www.tipsontripsandcamps.com/summer-advice/find-an-advisor/
Camp is over and I am choking back the tears. Why am I crying, you may ask or some of you may think, what type of parent am I? Aren’t I excited to see my camper? Of course, I am excited and of course, I missed him all summer. But each summer when camp ends, is one summer less for my children to be just that – children. Each summer that passes, means one less summer for them to smile, laugh, grow and learn in an unplugged world. I know this – how? I have seen children start camp at the young age of 7 or 8. I have seen children grow into preteens and not have to deal with the awkward middle school moments during the summer. I have seen teens be able to feel safe and happy with their camp family and temporarily escape the overwhelming stress and pressure they feel all year. I have also seen my own children mold and shape new campers as their counselors. Don’t think that being a counselor for the summer is the easy way out. Far from it, it’s hard work, but the rewards include maturity, personal relationships, time management, conflict resolution and so much more. If you think there is joy in seeing your happy camper, there is another sense of joy and pride when you see happy campers looking up to your happy counselor. But like everything else in life, all good things come to an end. So why am I crying? Because I don’t want any of this to end and the end of each summer means we are all getting closer to the end of this stage. 
As a summer camp and program advisor, I am constantly being asked whether a specific program will look good on a teen’s resume, or if a specific camp will improve their camper’s athletic or artistic skills. As a parent of 3 teens, I am beginning to realize that these manipulated experiences are only part of the picture. Let’s take a step back and really think about what we want for our children – health, happiness and success. As parents we put so much pressure on ourselves to help our children achieve all these goals. When I think back to my children’s path to happiness and success, I have to admit, I didn’t do it alone. I probably didn’t do most of it – camp did! Camp gives my children the chance to be independent, problem solve, form true personal relationships and all these things create happiness and I hope down the road, success. Don’t believe me? Read this article with quotes from Steve Jobs, head staff at Harvard and MIT, as well as well known authors:
This tradition will keep your camper laughing and is a huge bonus if they are feeling homesick (not to mention their cabin mates will think you’re really cool).
