If you are worried about how your child will handle being away from home while he is at summer camp, you are not alone. The American Camp Association reports that 90 percent of children who attend overnight summer camp feel some level of homesickness while they are away. While it may sound inevitable, there are things you can do to make the transition easier.
Dreamstime
A little girl stands and looks at the lake and the forest. Conce
A little girl stands and looks at the lake and the forest. Concept childhood, lifestyle, vacation, travel.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests talking to your child about what to expect, practicing being away from home by sleeping at friends or relatives houses, letting your child know you feel confident he can handle being away from home, and not expressing any doubts or concerns about the experience he may have.
Everyone Is Special
Camp directors try to encourage celebrating all children. “I have had a rainbow of different children, and a lot of their anxiety comes from change in culture, economics, or parenting, so you have to make it comfortable,” says Daryl Brown, founder and director of Big Brown Summer Camp. Tell your child to be comfortable in his own skin, be himself, and be accepting of others for who they are.
Be grateful for the life you have and do not judge others. “Kids may feel alienated fitting themselves into a situation that is new to them,” says Brown. He gives the example of one mother going to the Nike store to buy several shoes while another mother can barely purchase them at a discount store. Brown finds that kids isolate themselves for things like that, and it makes them homesick because they can feel like an outcast.
And some kids come from more structured schools than others. “Sometimes kids will taper down their knowledge because they do not want other kids to know they are smart — because that is isolating,” says Brown.
Focus on the Positives
Pick the camp carefully with your child. Make sure it focuses on inclusiveness and is filled with activities of interest. You also want to know who is running it. “It is very important that there is a schedule with hands-on activities that can make a kid grow, like STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math,” says Brown.
Some camps offer field trips. The more fun, educational, and enriching programs the camp has, the less likely it is that a child will lose interest and want to go home. Do not ignore how your child is feeling. Mike Bullard, admission marketing manager at Presbyterian Day School lists overreaction, excessive worrying, insomnia, and nightmares as red flags for separation anxiety. He finds that keeping an open attitude and encouraging your child to talk about how he feels, over a casual setting like dinner or a car ride, can make a difference. Remember all he is looking for is a little reassurance and to know that you will always come back for him and be there if you are needed.
Know the Communication Rules
Some camps allow parents to visit, call, or write letters, while others have restrictions on technology usage. “Communication depends on the open door policy of the camp, and the ones that let you make a phone call or visit are ones that do not have anything to hide and play by the rules and regulations,” Brown says.
By knowing your child and his needs, you can gauge what kind of policy will be the best match. If you cannot communicate with your child while he is away, Bullard suggests giving him something tangible to have with him, like a personalized pin or keychain on his bag as a reminder of home.
Get Involved
You know your child better than anyone. “If a child is sad, you have to know as a camp director that you are not a doctor or psychiatrist, and sometimes there may be something bad happening or a medical diagnosis, attention deficit disorder, or a mental disorder that pertains to some type of tragedy in their life,” says Brown.
As a parent, you should share any relevant information about your child so the camp staff can accommodate and understand him. “We have a file on each kid, and we try to assess their interests,” Brown says. While separation anxiety can be a normal part of the camp experience, camp staff pride themselves on their contributions to kids’ lives.
“You cannot be successful if your heart is not into developing children — no matter what background, economic status, color, or disability,” Brown says. “It is something you have to have a passion for — to be an agent of change for the positive.”
Jamie Lober, author of Pink Power (getpinkpower.com), is dedicated to providing information on women’s and pediatric health topics.