There are many things you can do to minimize homesickness and build confidence in your child. The most important is your attitude. If you are excitedabout your child coming to camp, your child will be too. If you are anxious and frightened, your child will pick that us as well. Take time to talk with your child about coming to camp and make sure your conversations are positive one. If your child has fears, address them honestly. (It will be dark at night: Let's make sure you have new batteries for your flashlight... I might get lost: Your counselor will be with you at all times, etc.) If you have fears, DO NOT share them with your child! Call our office and speak to one of us instead. Do not dwell on how much you will miss your child while you are apart. Children can feel guilty for leaving you! Say, "Yes, we'll miss you, but we're so glad that you get to have this adventure!"
Your child will be very busy during their camp session. We plan the day to include a variety of activities so that everyone can find something they enjoy. There is not much "free time, " there's just so many fun things to do! Keeping busy doing things you enjoy is the BEST way to combat homesickness. (It also works for parents who are missing their children!)
If this will be the first time away from home, let your child stay overnight with someone they know and trust as a way to "practice camp." Even at home, encourage your children to do as many things as possible for themselves. Camp will challenge your child to be more self sufficient (that's a good thing). The counselor will always be there to help, but the more your child can do alone (such as showering, cutting food, getting to sleep, etc) the better he or she will feel and the easier the week will be.
Let you child help you pack for camp. Encourage involvement in every way possible. Let your child pick out some neat new stuff like a flashlight or a disposable camera. New clothes are not the best idea, kids get DIRTY at camp, so pack clothes to play in. We make every attempt to return items that get left behind, but marking clearly with first and last name helps a lot.
When you bring your child to camp, don't linger. The goodbye is the hardest (for you and your child) Help your child get settled... find their bed, roll out the sleeping bag or linens... then give a quick hug and kiss and say "you've got so many new friends to meet, we'll let you get started! Have Fun!" and turn your child over to the counselor. THEN LEAVE! The counselor is trained to engage your child and help get things started well. That can only start to happen when you've stopped waiving.
If you want your child to write, send self-addressed stamped envelopes or postcards. There is time during the day for them to write, understand that the first card may be a lonesome one, but by the time you get it most likely your child is settled in and having fun. If you are worried about your child, call our office and we will check on your child and give you an honest report.
Make sure your letters or emails are cheerful and encouraging. Do not share sad news in a letter to camp. Wait until your child is with you. As much as possible, make what's happening at home seem pretty boring, so your child doesn't feel like there's a lot being missed ("We weeded the garden today" instead of "We got a new puppy") You can share the exciting stuff when you pick up your child... by then your child will have exciting stuff to share with you as well. Sending surprises in letters to camp is also fun. As comic book, a paper airplane, a small ring or necklace (no food or gum, please) can really brighten the day an give a homesick camper something to show and share with cabin-mates.
Please do not tell your child that if they are homesick you will come to get him or her. That really sets the child up to fail from the beginning. Instead let them know that you have every confidence in their ability to handle this big adventure. If your child seems VERY frightened about camp, perhaps your child is not quite ready, or there is some reason why this is just not a good year for camp. Feel free to call and talk to one of us if you need help making that decision. If your child is simply hesitant, find out what specific worries your child has and make a plan to address them.
If there are specific things that your child needs help with, PLEASE write it in a note to the counselor. A letter is better than trying to tell the counselor when you drop off your child because that's often a very hectic time. A letter lets the counselor read at a quieter moment and refer to the letter later.
Your child will not call you. It is very disruptive for a cabin group if one of them wants to make phone calls to friends and family at home. Bonding in a cabin group only works if all the attention is focused on these new friends, and what we are doing here and now. The cabin group becomes an amazing blessing to your child when they are the child's support group for the week, helping each other though difficult times and sharing joys together. That gives counselors a chance to talk about and campers to experience Community in Christ, and to grow together, which is always our goal. If you must talk to your child during the camp week, please call our office and we will arrange a less disruptive time for that to happen.
Know that our goal is to help your child have a great week at camp. If your child is miserable, we will not make him or her stay. We'll try everything in our bag of tricks, and then we'll call you for advice, and we will let you decide if your child should come home. But that RARELY happens. Our staff are pretty good homesickness busters! We want your child's experience at Caroline Furnace to be the best it can be. We promise to do all we can to make that happen.
Thank you for sharing your precious child with us
