Anxious About Camp?

By: John Vandervelde, Program Director

Getting ready to come to camp can often be a stressful time.  Sometimes
what should be a time of excitement is often clouded by anxiety.  Here
are 5 simple things parents can do to prepare their children for camp
this summer:

1) Packing:
 

a)
I know it's tough but if you can pack earlier rather than later it is
better for your child.  Rushing to find the right stuff and frantically
packing the night before gives your child a sense that they are not
ready for camp. Often on the first day or two of camp they are consumed
with wondering if they have everything. 

b)
We highly encourage you and your child to pack together but if you pack
your child's things: Take 10 minutes to go over everything in your
child's bag with them, show them where stuff is and make sure they feel
that they are well prepared for camp.  If your child packs themselves: 
Take 10 minutes to have your child show you what they packed.  This is
a check to make sure they have everything they need and that they have
not packed things they should not bring.

2)  Practice being away from home:

This
is highly recommended for new campers who are going away to camp for
the first time.  Have your child do an overnight at Grandma and
Grandpa's house or another close friend's house without you.  This
gives them some experience before heading to camp.

 
3)  Set some goals and expectations: 
Talk
to your child about camp and what it's all about.  View the videos on
the website.  Talk to other families who have been to HoneyRock
before.  You can't prepare them for everything but you can give them
some idea of what to expect.  This also gives you a good opportunity to
set some goals for camp. 

Some sample goals: 
1)  I want to become friends with 3 new people - kids not from my school or church. 
2)  I want to get an intermediate in Sailing this summer. 
3)  I want to do Solid Rock Club.   

4)  Begin praying about camp:

Set
aside some time at meals or before bed to pray about camp.  Pray for
your child's cabin mates, their counselor, the bus ride up, the Bible
studies and for safety.

5)  Don't make promises you can't or don't intend to keep. 

Often
times as parents we make little promises to our children to release
their fears before they leave for camp.  It can be devastating to a
camper if those promises aren't met. 

Some examples: 
1)  Don't tell your child you will talk to them on the phone.
2)  Don't promise you'll be at Family Day if you really can't make it.
 3)  Don't tell your child they have $100 in their Beehive account when they only have $20.
4)  Don't promise they will know everyone in their cabin. 
5)  Don't tell them it won't rain and that there are no bugs.
6) Don't tell your child you'll come pick them up if they don't like camp.

Getting
ready to go to camp should be a time of great joy, excitement and solid
preparation.  We hope in the next few weeks you'll truly enjoy getting
ready for HoneyRock.

Comments

[Lisa Marie Goetz]

John, this is a great post! I wish all my campers' parents had read that when I was an Advance Camp Counselor last year. If you don't already do this, I wonder if you might think about sending out a letter with this kind of information to parents a few weeks before their kids are coming to camp. I think it would be so helpful for all parties involved.