There may be several months between the time that you select your and Overnight Summer Camp and send in your deposit and opening day. However, helping your child prepare for camp involves more than just packing their trunk. You want to make sure that your child is ready emotionally for this new adventure.
Getting your child ready for camp requires a delicate balance. Talking about this exciting new experience is great but, you also don’t want to overdo it. Over discussing Summer Camp can cause, children to loose a sense of reality, lead to expectations and fantasies that can’t be met, thus, leading to disappointment. It’s also possible that these discussions continually highlight fears which, lead only to an increase of homesickness. Several months before the beginning of camp you may want to start yur disscussions but not much before April. As receive pre-camp information it’s wise to share these with your child.
How to Talk About Camp: Be careful how often and which words you choose when you are talking about camp. Children have incredible radar, and they will pick up on your concerns and fears, even if you never say anything negative. You may want to visit your local library or movie rental store to pick up books or movies about camp. While many of the storylines are exaggerated, they can prompt discussion on how to handle issues that may arise at camp. Watch or read them together.
However, make sure to pick up on the subtle signals that your child sends. If they seem put off by the books or videos, then drop the subject. Most importantly, make sure that you never use camp as a threat or in anger. It’s important that you never seem like you’re counting the days until your child leaves for camp. The words can linger longer than you think, and it will confuse your child about what camp is supposed to be. Your child should believe that camp is a fun experience and that is why you have chosen it.
Some Dos * Meet the camp director before camp begins.
* Do talk about the camp in a positive way, to let your child know that you believe camp is a safe, exciting place.
* Do try and arrange a play date with a fellow camper before camp. If this is not possible, try and establish a link through mail, e-mail, or phone.
* Do continue to have short separations, such as sleepovers with family and friends for good practice.
* Do allow your child to verbalize her concerns, even if they sound silly. You may learn about worries that you can easily resolve.
* Talk to an fellow camper about the program. He or she can tell you what you will really need to know and what kids really wear, and do at camp.
Some Don’ts: * Don’t introduce anything else new in your child’s life. Try to keep everything as normal as possible, especially in the time close to the opening day.
*Squeeze in a family vacation just before camp starts is never a good idea. Plan to be at home for a few days before your lid leaves to go to camp. This provide the comfort of a usual routine.
*Never let your child think you are worried about their adjustment to the camp environment.
These are just a few ideas that can help you as you send your child to Summer Camp for the first time. To learn more be sure to visit Summer Camp Advice
Tags: Outdoors
