Hey, Camp Families!

We’re more than just camping gear here at Everything Summer Camp. Our goal is to provide you with everything your camper needs in order to get the most out of the summer camp experience. That means providing you with more than just camping gear. After all, we can’t sell you a healthy relationship with your kid or an immunization to homesickness.

But what we can do is give you tips and advice about how to achieve these desired intangibles.

We’ve teamed up with Dr. Chris Thurber, child psychologist and summer camp expert, to help us weigh in on ways to help your child feel comfortable about camp. Dr. Thurber—a father (and former summer camper/cabin leader) himself—imparts brilliant parenting tips to reinforce a genuine understanding between you and your child.

Alongside Mark Sieglaff, friend to Chris and Vice President of Everything Summer Camp, the two of them host the ‘Wiser Cracks’ webinar series which is co-produced by Everything Summer Camp as well as Expert Online Training, a company co-founded by Chris that imparts an excellent education to youth leaders.

Tune in on scheduled evenings for these engaging 30-minute discussions of realistic practical parenting tactics. These webinars teach you to read between the lines and see what your kid is really saying when they’re speaking the code. You’ll also learn valuable responses that soothe upset feelings and strengthen your connection.

Glean positive and practical advice on how to communicate with your kid when you check out all the previous installments for this smart series. Click on any of the links right here to watch older sessions of the ‘Wiser Cracks’ series like How to Talk to Kids About Tough Topics, Rules were made to be positive, Cracking Kids Secret Code, Better Ways to Deal With Bullies, and Top 10 Camp Prep Tips.

Be sure to register and attend upcoming ‘Wiser Cracks’ webinars like, ‘More Camp Prep Tips’, ‘Conducting Family Meetings’, and ‘Helping Awkward Kids Fit In’ and you could win some awesome prizes from Everything Summer Camp! Enjoy developing a better communication with your child and, as always, thanks for reading!

 

- John

Hey, Parents!

Are you planning on sending your kid off to their rookie year at overnight camp next summer? Or maybe you’re just looking to change things up for your experienced camper. Either way, you’ve got to select a summer camp. And, believe or not, whether you want it to be or not, there’s no better time than the present.

Starting your summer camp search in the middle of autumn may seem a little too far in advance, but this is certainly the ideal season to start researching camps and narrowing your choices. After all, most summer camps fill up their available spots several months before they open.

There’s also a lot to do on your end before camp starts like scheduling a physical exam, obtaining everything on your camp’s packing list, preparing your camper and yourself against home/childsickness. Not to mention, how busy you are with the rest of your life, the fall season is the best time to find a camp of the finest quality.

If you wait until June to sign your kid up, the remaining spots available are sure to be at summer camps of second rate quality. You want the best you can manage for your kid, no doubt. So don’t procrastinate. It’s pretty much never too early in the year to start thinking about which camp to send your camper to.

Speed up your search by looking for camps whose directors have a long tenure, whose staff is comprised of mostly former campers, and whose camper return rate is above 75%. Still, while speeding up the process, be sure to appreciate the time you spend with your kid—including them in the process every step of the way.

For more great tips and words of advice about when, where, why, and how to send your kid off to camp, check out ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’, written by summer camp experts, Dr. Chris Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski—available right here on our summer camp for all your camping gear needs. Enjoy getting your head start on the search for your summer camp and, as always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

 

Hey, Camp Parents!

Today’s post concludes our July Tips and Advice series about Opening Day, Visiting Day, and Closing Day at summer camp. Using the endlessly helpful wisdom that Chris Thurber and Jon Malinowski put down in ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’, today I’m sharing tips on achieving a successful Closing Day. Check out these four great tips about things to do on the last day of camp:

Punctuality
First and foremost, know when Closing Day is! Unfortunately, there have been parents who have gotten confused about which day is Closing Day. Mark the date and mark it well. Also, punctuality is a big deal. It’s best not to give a single specific time that you’ll be there, but more of a window (from 9:30 – 10:30). You don’t want to be much later and have your kid worry, nor do you want to arrive too early and not be able to find your kid because they’re off running around, finishing some last-minute job.

Tasks
Plan to spend a little time at camp on Closing Day. You’ll have administrative chores like closing accounts, signing out, talking with the cabin leader, possibly checking with the medical staff, and combing through the lost-and-found. Most important, many kids want to share their positive experiences, give their parents a tour of camp, and introduce new friends. Yet, some kids just want to get in the car and go (even though they had a great time).

What to expect
Kids’ reactions to being reunited with their parents are tough to predict. All kids are different but most fall into categories of four typical reactions: 1) Most kids want to tell you anything and everything that happened at camp. 2.) Some kids are quiet, feeling a little sad to leave camp and want to leave quickly to get it over with. 3.) Still, other kids tear up at the close of camp and prefer to linger a while. 4.) And our last category likes to pick out the most dramatic thing that happened at camp and maybe exaggerate stories a tad. The main point is that you should be ready to play the day by ear since you won’t know what to expect.

Debriefing
Regardless of how your child acts on Closing Day, it’s always good to get an experienced adult perspective. The cabin leader is the best place to start. These conversations can be insightful, but you may have to probe to get the information you want. Most cabin leaders tend to smile a lot and tell parents that the session went well. Part of their job is to have a positive attitude. Nevertheless, all cabin leaders mentally evaluate the kids with whom they work. How could they not have some opinions based on a week or more of living with your child? Ask some questions like these to get the answers you want:

•    What did you enjoy most about the session?
•    What were some of the biggest challenges you faced?
•    How did my child interact with the other kids? What kind of strengths and weaknesses did you pick up on?
•    Which activities did my child like best?
•    Were there any discipline problems with my child? How were they handled?
•    Was my child polite?
•    Is there anything to work on with my child before next year at camp?

Make Closing Day a warm, relaxed reunion and continue getting the most of your child’s summer camp experience right down to the very end. Have fun bringing your kid back home and, as always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

Hey, Visitors!

Welcome back to our Tips and Advice series in July for drop-offs, visits, and pick-ups. Borrowing from Chris Thurber and Jon Malinowski—authors of ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’—today’s post offers invaluable wisdom about visiting your kid at camp. All camps are different. Some have Visiting Days and others don’t. Your kid’s camp stay may only last a week in which case there’s likely no Visiting Day between the drop-off and pick-up.

If there is a Visiting Day, you should make every effort to go. If you simply can’t, try to work out another arrangement. Although it’s not as fun as seeing one’s own parents, kids do enjoy going out with their friends and their friends’ family on a Visiting Day. Set it up by phone, email, or fax to give permission for someone else to take your kid out of camp. You’ll want to make arrangements in advance so your camper is well-aware and comfortable with the plan.

But assuming that you can attend Visiting Day, here are some good things to keep in mind on Visiting Day:

Only Visit on Visiting Day
More so than phone calls, in-person visits are an immediate form of contact that can provoke homesickness in your child and spark envy among new friends. Unscheduled visits are disruptive to campers’ developing sense of independence. If you have any doubts about the appropriateness of your visit, be sure to call the camp first and speak with the director.

Be on Time
Stick to what you promised on opening day. Your son or daughter will be counting on it.

Take a Tour
Your child would love to show you around camp. Keep any critical comments to yourself—this is your child’s time to shine, not defend the fun time they’re having.

Keep an Open Mind
You’ll wonder about certain aspects of camp. Ask gently for an explanation before passing judgment. Offer genuine praise for all of your child’s accomplishments.

Prepare for Strong Feelings
Visiting Day can be a wonderfully emotional time, but it’s often hard for kids to say goodbye. Resist the temptation to offer your child a ride home. Instead, be understanding and encouraging. You’ll see them again soon.

Share Sad News Early and in Person
Telling your child about the death of a pet or sharing any other bad news is best done in person, not in a letter or a phone call (when you’re not there to provide comfort). Break any bad news to your child early on Visiting Day to give you both time to talk about it.

To get even more great information about these six elements of Visiting Day, pick up your own copy of ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’. Have fun come Visiting Day and make sure you tune in next Monday for tips about Closing Day at summer camp. And, as always, thanks for reading!

 

- John

 

Hey, Camp Parents!

The camp season is upon us and Opening Day is a BIG day for campers, parents, and staff alike. This post is the first of three throughout July that will focus on the important parts of navigating opening day, visiting day, and closing day at camp. Summer camp experts Chris Thurber and Jon Malinowski break down the six most important elements of a successful Opening Day in their comprehensive guidebook, ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’:

Make a Travel Plan

You’ll want to add an additional hour or two to your travel time when headed to camp. You might need to stop along the way for a toothbrush, pillow, or any other items that you suddenly realize were left at home. Plan a relaxed trip. Stop for lunch if camp opens in the afternoon. If camp registration starts in the morning and you live far from camp, it might be wisest to make the trip the day before and spend the night nearby. A positive attitude is key on this trip as it sets the tone for your kid’s entire camp experience!

 

Complete Registration
Registration is a way for the camp to ensure that everyone who is scheduled to arrive has made it to camp. Punctuality is important for camp registration; early arrivals inevitably interfere with the last-minute touches the staff is making. Be ready to meet directors, check in, get assigned a cabin, see the medical staff if you need to, unpack your kid’s gear, and meet the staff. If you won’t be able to be with your kid at registration, you’ll need to complete some basic pieces of Opening Day by phone or mail.

Meet Your Child’s Leader
There are likely to be more than just one cabin leader who will be working closely with your kid this summer, but you’ll want to be sure to meet at least one of them. Open up to them about any physical, behavioral, emotional, and medical issues they should know about with your kid. It’s smart to ask the cabin leader questions about themselves too to give yourself a better idea of whose hands you’re leaving your child in. Ask questions about their own experience at camp, where they go to school, where they live. It’ll make you feel better.

Address Medical, Behavioral, and Emotional Concerns
Be sure to talk with the camp director and a representative of the medical staff about any concerns you have—especially medical conditions such as asthma, allergies, recent injuries, illnesses, physical disabilities, or any others. The decision about whether to share information is up to you, of course. However, it is hardly ever beneficial to leave the camp in the dark about significant issues. Had staff been informed about a problem or concern, they could have helped out right away instead of guessing at what a problem is.

Allocate Spending Money
Most camps do not allow campers to keep cash with them. Therefore, the camp may ask you to allocate spending money for your child to purchase items at the camp store, buy projects at the arts and crafts shop, pay for out-of-camp trips, and so on. Some camps include spending money in the registration fees; others ask you to make a deposit when you register. If the camp does not publish a suggested amount in their information packet, ask the director how much spending money is adequate. You’ll get back whatever is leftover at the end of the session.

Say Goodbye
It’s smart to ask your camper ahead of time how long they want to hang out together at camp before parents head home. Some kids want their parents to stick around, others are ready to push you out the door. How will you say good-bye? A short walk? A hug and a kiss? Just a hug? A high-five? Talking it over now will make your good-bye go more smoothly. Also, once you’ve said goodbye, you should make your resolved departure. Lingering or unexpectedly returning can increase your kid’s anxiety.

To get even more great information about these six elements of Opening Day, pick up your own copy of ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’. Enjoy Opening Day as best you can and tune in next Monday for tips about Visiting Days at camp. As always, thanks for reading!

 

- John