Hey, Camp Fans!

Today I have another Throwback Thursday for you in which we link back to an old Blog post that we think is SO helpful we want to put it in front of you again. ‘Throwback’ to March 20 of last year to review great tips from Dr. Thurber about attending summer camp along with a friend. What may sound like an incredibly helpful idea may not be as wise as it seems.

Look back with us today to glean great points about why summer camping with a friend may not be the best approach.

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

Today I have another Throwback Thursday for you in which we link back to an old Blog post that we think is SO helpful we want to put it in front of you again. ‘Throwback’ to March 20 of last year to review great tips from Dr. Thurber about attending summer camp along with a friend. What may sound like an incredibly helpful idea may not be as wise as it seems.

Look back with us today to glean great points about why summer camping with a friend may not be the best approach.

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

Just about everybody loves summer camp! That’s why summer camps are filled with diversity. Despite the similarities we may see in each other, we also know that everyone is different. We all come from our own, separate worlds—even brothers and sisters who grew up under the same roof are different.

Sometimes our differences with other people can collide undesirably. Bullying is more often a problem encountered in school, but it can certainly happen at camp too.

Well, if there’s a chance of bullying at camp then why bother going, right? No, no, no. Don’t think that way. Camp is full of memories that will last a lifetime. I still remember my summer camp experiences like they happened yesterday! You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity because there’s a chance you could encounter a bully.

Instead, just learn how to handle one. There are just a few things to keep in mind:

1.) First of all, knowing when and where a bully may try to strike is important because being ready for it is half the battle. Bullies will typically strike when a counselor isn’t around like in the showers or in the bunks after lights out.

Being ready for an encounter with a bully means remaining calm.

2.) The best response you can give a bully is the lack of one. Ignore them. Walk away. Or just tell them that you don’t care about what they have to say. Bullies want to control your emotions. If you show them they can’t, they tend to lose interest in you.

If your bullying problem involves physical force, it’s very important that you find some way to protect yourself and be sure to tell a counselor or some other adult about any threats or assaults. Adults have a way of solving the problem and can usually do so without the bully even knowing that it was you who said something.

3.) Lastly, it always helps to flip the script. Instead of seeing bullies as villains, try seeing them for what they really are: a miserably frustrated kid who wants to make others feel just as miserable as they do. Don’t allow it to happen.

It’s true, these three pointers are all easier said than done—but if you can stay calm and stay in control of your emotions, bullies WILL overlook you as a potential victim. Don’t stand for bullying and enjoy your time at camp! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- 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 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, 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