Sending a kid off to camp can feel daunting, especially if they’re not particularly interested in going. Many parents believe that camp is a valuable growth experience for their children, and it’s important to feel confident in the service you choose. Here are seven questions to help you learn more about the camps you’re considering so that you can confidently tell your child that they are in good hands.
\n \nReluctant campers have existed since the dawn of camp. Some of them come back with their minds changed and others still don’t love it. If you have a reluctant camper, just telling them to suck it up probably isn’t going to work. A child’s first, and possibly second, reaction about camp may be defiant, but this may indicate that they need help learning the skills that they currently lack. Listening to and validating their concerns is a good first step. Coming back to them with some answers at a time when the emotions have cooled can be helpful. The responses to the following questions may help you to do this.
\nUnhelpful response: Kids usually just figure it out themselves. Some kids are just loners.
\nWhen kids push back about going to camp, it’s often because they feel that they’ll be all alone. Of course, this is often why we’re sending kids to camp in the first place. Hearing the ways that the camp has planned to help build friendships could be comforting to a reluctant camper.
\nUnhelpful response: Conflict works itself out. We just tell kids who can’t get along to stay away from each other.
\nConflict between kids is normal and happens all the time. Having a plan to help kids articulate their feelings and needs, and then helping them to work out a solution, will help kids learn to do that for themselves. This is a skill that kids (and some adults) need to develop.
\nUnhelpful response: That they have a zero-tolerance policy. Dr Barbara Coloroso says, “Zero-tolerance requires zero thinking, and no personal involvement in each case.” Just disallowing bullying often brushes it under the rug, where it continues in the shadows.
\nBullying and conflict are two very different things. It’s very important that the administration be able to tell you their policy (including how they support and educate both the bully and the bullied) and describe how they’ve used it in the past.
\nThis answer will help you to determine whether you feel confident that there is someone noticing when your child needs some help.
\nCamps should be able to clearly outline the training their counsellors receive to keep themselves and the campers safe. This could include First Aid and evacuation policies.
\nUnhelpful response: We let them work it out on their own.
\nThe answer to this question will help you to let your reluctant camper know that they are not the only ones who are worried about missing their home and family, and that the camp has experienced this before and knows how to support them if needed.
\nThis answer to this one is also important. Not every activity is for every person. Some camps will expect everyone to try everything, end of story. Knowing the camp’s policy on this will help you to determine if this is the right place for your child.
\nThis gives the administrator a chance to tell you what other parents have asked previously, along with qualities of the camp that make it the place you should send your child. You could also ask, “Why do parents choose your camp over others?”
\nI’ve worked for and with numerous camps for kids – from science camps to sports camps to art camps, from day camps to overnight camps, I know that each facility has had a mission and a training program to fully support the campers coming to them. They are usually run by passionate (and underpaid) people who are there because they love kids and want them to have a wonderful experience, just like they had when they were kids.
\nWant to know what else to ask? Ask your child. If your child is old enough to help with asking the questions, involve them in that too.
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Author, blogger, podcast host, and parenting expert, Julie Freedman Smith has been supporting parents across North America for 20 years. Through her company Parent Mentor Now, she helps parents feel better about their parenting. Want to know how she can help you? Follow her on Instagram @julie.f.s or visit parentmentornow.com.
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