Summer Camp
Sending your child to camp for the summer can be exhilarating for your child and nerve-wracking for you. Especially if this is your child’s first extended period away from home, you probably have a lot of concerns about how he or she is going to cope without you. Furthermore, you want to make sure your child is in safe hands while also having the time of their life. Below we will look at a few quick and easy tips to help you calm your nerves and ensure that your child is well protected during his or her summer camp adventure.
Image Source: Flickr
Look for the Right Camp
Probably the biggest concern you will have is about who is going to be taking care of your children while at camp. Don’t be shy about sending an email to the camp or phoning them up and asking a few questions. You want to know that they are accredited by the ACA and what the health and safety standards of the camp are. Ask what kind of training the counselors have, including making sure they are all trained in First Aid and CPR. Also, ask about what background screening the camp conducts on employees to ensure that criminal and sexual offenders are not hired.
Talking to Your Children
Prepare your children for the experience ahead. Be clear about what is acceptable behavior while at camp and what they should do if they see or experience something that is unacceptable, such as bullying. Prepare them for possible homesickness and let them know that you are always available for a phone call or email. If this is your child’s first experience away from home then prepare him or her by having them sleep over at a friend’s house beforehand.
Follow the Camp’s Blog
Of course, your child may be having so much fun that he or she simply won’t have the time to call or phone you while at camp. A great way of feeling like you are there with them is by following the camp’s blog or social media. Most camps now post photos of daily activities, so you can see what your child has been up to and know that he or she is having fun. You can also download a weather app for Android phones to keep a tab on what the weather is like where your child is camping.
Give Your Child Space
Image Source: Flickr
That being said, the whole point of camp is to allow your child to develop his or her own personality, self-esteem, and autonomy. Checking in once a day with an email or phone call is fine, but staying in constant contact is probably not a good idea. Likewise, if you don’t see pictures of your child on the camp’s blog right away, don’t panic. Your child was probably just not in the shot or the camp is just slow getting the pictures up.
Camp is an exciting experience for kids. For parents, however, seeing their little ones go off on their own can be a lot to handle. With the above tips, even the most concerned of parents will be able to feel better about their child’s upcoming camping adventure.