Hey, Fans of Everything Summer Camp!

Introducing Throwback Thursdays! On these days, we’ll be linking back to an old Blog post that we feel is so helpful in summer camp prepping that we want to get it in front of our readers again. Throwback Thursdays are all about reviewing the extremely valuable information in specific old posts (not to mention, giving ME a break!).

So ‘throwback’ with us today and take a good look at our post from one year ago by Dr. Christopher Thurber to help you determine how long of a camp stay is appropriate for your camper!

- John

Hey, Fans of Everything Summer Camp!

Introducing Throwback Thursdays! On these days, we’ll be linking back to an old Blog post that we feel is so helpful in summer camp prepping that we want to get it in front of our readers again. Throwback Thursdays are all about reviewing the extremely valuable information in specific old posts (not to mention, giving ME a break!).

So ‘throwback’ with us today and take a look at our post from one year ago by Dr. Christopher Thurber to help you determine how long of a camp stay is appropriate for your camper!

- John

Hey, Summer Enthusiasts!

It’s always a burst of excitement and wide smiles when your campers return home. You’ll want to brace yourself for the next few days for the flood of camp stories your kid has. Whether you want to or not, you’re going to hear all about their new camp friends and crazy adventures that may or may not be exaggerated.

For today’s blog post, I want to give you some tips to help you and your kid upon their homecoming after summer camp ends. The best advice I have for you is that the best time to plan for the next year’s summer camp season is right now.

A great way to start getting ready for summer camp next year is to go over your kid’s packing list. First of all, did your kid bring everything home that was brought to camp? If anything is missing, it’s smart to contact your kid’s summer camp to see if they might have any of the missing items.

Next, you can go through the camp clothing your kid has. Often times, you can keep the clothes for next year’s summer camp stay. If your kid will soon outgrow their clothes for camp or you no longer want the clothes for whatever reason, you can donate them, use them as a hand-me-down to a younger sibling, or throw them away (if they’re ruined).

After the clothing, you’ll want to see if any gear is broken whether it’s a flashlight, fan, or any other breakable product.

In doing so, you’ve discovered all the items that will need to be replaced for next year. Why wait for next spring to go through stressful shopping? Buy your summer camp gear now and get great season-ending sales on quality products!

It’s smart to talk to your kids about summer camp promptly after their return home when the memories of camp are still fresh on their minds. Ask them about what gear worked and what didn’t. Was the sleeping bag warm enough or maybe too warm? Maybe the backpack wasn’t big enough.

Unpacking gear can also be split into two groups—one to store away until next year, and the other to use up now. You’ll want to use up any liquid toiletries like sunblock and bug repellent this summer. Those products will lose their effectiveness by next year.

It’s wise to go over the second group of products that’s to be stored away to remove the batteries of any battery-operated items. You’ll want to watch where you store your camp trunk or duffel for the remainder of the year as well. If you’re storing your footlocker in a garage or basement, you’ll want to make sure it’s off the ground. Cold concrete floors can slowly deteriorate the metal of a trunk over time.

You may want to store it with a Moso Air Purifying Bag to secure it from funky smells due to moisture or mildew.

Lastly, I just have a friendly reminder not to forget about developing the pictures from your disposable camera if your kid brought one to camp (though I doubt your child will let you forget)! As always thanks for reading!

- John

Closing Day = Opening Hearts and Minds

Children’s reactions to being reunited with their parents are tough to predict. Rather than predict your family’s exact experience, let me share with you some typical reactions that I’ve seen over the years. These descriptions are a bit abstract. No child will behave exactly like these stereotypes, but it’s helpful to know how widely kids’ reunion behavior varies. Your child may show a combination of these responses.

The Fountain of Youth: Fountain of Youth kids will be very excited about their camp experience and will immediately want to describe everything about camp in two minutes. Parents will be drenched with a steady stream of stories and explanations that they may not completely understand. Not to worry. Fountain of Youth kids know that their parents are the most important people in their lives, so they want to share with them all the great things that happened. Whirlwind tours of important places and people are a common part of this sharing. Parents should just smile and go along for the ride (with a camera, of course!).

The Poker Face. Poker Face kids probably had a great time at camp, but are oddly quiet on closing day. They don’t want to tell their parents much right away, but parents should not assume this is because they disliked camp. It’s just that Poker Face kids have an especially hard time leaving. They may be a little depressed about leaving new friends and wonderful places. However, the stories and experiences, good or bad, will come out in time. Parents who want the scoop right away can spend a few extra minutes talking to the child’s cabin leader.

The Tearful Camper. Tearful Campers are visibly moved by the close of camp. Tears are a real testament to the power of the camp experience. Indeed, a priceless moment for a cabin leader or a parent is witnessing a camper who cried when he arrived (because the separation was so hard) suddenly cry from sadness that he is leaving. Tearful Campers may want to leave quickly to avoid the awkwardness of the moment, or they may wish to linger. Parents should ask their child’s preference or play the day by ear.

The Sensationalist. Sensationalists immediately tell their parents the single most dramatic thing that happened to them during their camp stay. “When we were camping out, the tent stakes broke and it started to rain, and my sleeping bag got muddy, and then we heard thunder, and I thought we were gonna die!” Don’t assume the worst. All campers have a mix of powerful positive and negative experiences at camp. Sensationalists may tell horror stories, but most of them had a great time at camp. Parents should listen carefully to get a balanced account of the session.

In the days, weeks, and months that follow closing day, you can expect three things: (1) increased self-reliance; (2) ongoing stories about camp; (3) emotional volatility. The best response to all of this is empathy. Notice what your son or daughter is doing independently and compliment them for their initiative and maturity. Listen carefully to their adventure narratives and ask open-ended questions about why such-and-such was meaningful. And tolerate the mood swings that are a natural byproduct of challenge and triumph.

Enjoy the summer!

Dr. Christopher Thurber

Visiting Day Tips & Preparation

About the only thing you can expect on visiting day is that it won’t go quite how you planned it. That’s OK, as long as you remain flexible and open to the experience. Most of you have read my research on homesickness prevention. Think of visiting day as the flip side of that coin. Whereas homesickness is a byproduct of an actual or anticipated separation from home, your child’s erratic visiting day behavior is a byproduct of the intense reunion. Responding sanely takes forethought.

Let’s start with the most obvious bright point: Visiting camp can bring your child great pleasure. But be sure to come only when the camp allows. For example, some camps have a “parents’ weekend,” where parents get to visit their children and see them perform some of the new skills they’ve learned. Other camps have a “visiting day” between sessions, so if your child is staying at camp for two consecutive sessions, you can visit for a day in between.

Whatever the case, abide by the camp’s published schedule. Visiting camp unannounced or on a day that has not been scheduled for visitation is a bad plan. More so than phone calls, in-person visits are an immediate form of contact that can provoke homesickness in your child and envy among her 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 and speak with the director.

Next, prepare yourself for some capricious displays of emotion. Thinking in categories makes it all seem less chaotic. Among the wide range of conduct you’re likely to see on visiting day or closing day are:

The Fountain of Youth. Fountain of Youth kids will be very excited about their camp experience and will immediately want to describe everything about camp in two minutes. Parents will be drenched with a steady stream of stories and explanations that they may not completely understand. Not to worry. Fountain of Youth kids know that their parents are the most important people in their lives, so they want to share with them all the great things that happened. Whirlwind tours of important places and people are a common part of this sharing. Parents should just smile and go along for the ride (with a camera, of course!).

The Poker Face. Poker Face kids probably had a great time at camp, but are oddly quiet on closing day. They don’t want to tell their parents much right away, but parents should not assume this is because they disliked camp. It’s just that Poker Face kids have an especially hard time leaving. They may be a little depressed about leaving new friends and wonderful places. However, the stories and experiences, good or bad, will come out in time. Parents who want the scoop right away can spend a few extra minutes talking to the child’s cabin leader.

The Tearful Camper. Tearful Campers are visibly moved by the close of camp. Tears are a real testament to the power of the overnight camp experience. Indeed, a priceless moment for a cabin leader or a parent is witnessing a camper who cried when he arrived (because the separation was so hard) suddenly cry from sadness that he is leaving. Tearful Campers may want to leave quickly to avoid the awkwardness of the moment, or they may wish to linger. Parents should ask their child’s preference or play the day by ear.

The Sensationalist. Sensationalists immediately tell their parents the single most dramatic thing that happened to them during their camp stay. “When we were camping out, the tent stakes broke and it started to rain, and my sleeping bag got muddy, and then we heard thunder, and I thought we were gonna die!” Don’t assume the worst. All campers have a mix of powerful positive and negative experiences at camp. Sensationalists may tell horror stories, but most of them had a great time at camp. Parents should listen carefully to get a balanced account of the session.

A few other things to remember about visiting day:

• 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 himself.

• Keep an open mind. You’ll wonder about certain aspects of camp. Ask gently for an explanation before passing judgment. Praise all of your child’s accomplishments.

• Share any 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.

• Send a replacement if you’ll be absent. Your child wants to see you more than anyone else in the world. However, if you can’t make it up for visiting day, tell your child far in advance. If possible, plan for a friend’s parents to include your child in their own visiting day festivities.

• 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 her again soon.

Enjoy the summer!

Dr. Christopher Thurber