A recap from Summer 365’s Camp Decision 2021 Webinar
If you missed our Webinar a few weeks back, do not worry! We are sharing a few key highlights below. To receive access to our exclusive resources or begin the sleepaway camp search process, contact us!
These are the smiles of future happy campers who are excited and ready to go to camp in summer 2021.
These past few weekends many of our families packed up their cars, hit the road, and headed to the great outdoors to go on advenTOURs to visit sleepaway camps. Some have simply clicked on a link to “Zoom” right into their overnight camp search.
Ok so you’re thinking, how could I possibly think about sending my child away from home now and why plan so far in advance for summer 2021? We know we know (!), it might seem crazy when so much has been changing and so much is uncertain including the school year ahead. And if you’re not in this headspace and living life on day by day survival mode we get it and we feel you. However, if and when you’re ready to make the shift, there are countless benefits not only for investing in a sleepaway camp experience but also starting to plan, prepare, and execute (a different kind of PPE) now with in person or virtual tours. Here’s why!
🏕 Get into nature: After a long stretch of time indoors and disconnected from social interactions, we know and believe in the power, value, and importance of a positive overnight camp experience more than ever. Take a day or weekend to see the magic of camp firsthand. It’s a fun outdoor activity and change of scenery for the whole family.
🏗 Build up courage, enthusiasm, and confidence for this new experience: Fear is a common response to new challenges or experiences. These situations make children feel uncertain, vulnerable, and anxious. As a result, many children avoid the unfamiliar. They prefer not to risk attempting something new, leading to missed opportunities. Taking your future camper on an in person tour or getting them involved on a video chat will help take the idea of camp from concept to reality. You and your child will get a personal feel of the campus and have your future sleepaway camper see firsthand where they’ll eat, sleep, and play. A visual introduction and familiarity with a new place, especially for young kids in particular, is very helpful to empower a future camper and get them excited and in control.
🔎 Take your search to the next level: We truly believe, and have always said, camps are run from the top down. The summer more than ever it’s so important to get to know the camp directors and their leadership teams. They are the heartbeat of their camps. Finding the connection that resonates most strongly with you is integral in making an educated decision about the sleepaway camp that is right fit. On in person and virtual tours you’ll get intimate access to these people!
😎 Future looks so bright you’ll need to wear shades: This school year we might be in for a bumpy ride ahead. Finding the best fit camp for your child will give them something concrete to look forward to and a new community to be a part of.
Just remember, our camp consulting service was created with one goal in mind: to help you find the perfect and best fit sleepaway camp for your child and family. And like a good camp friend, we’re here for you WHENEVER you’re ready. We’ll be your counselors, your guides, your eyes and ears. Just remember we’re all in this together.
To sunnier days ahead… summer 2021 is looking incredibly bright!
Our service was created with one goal in mind: to help you find the perfect fit camp for your child and family. Like lot of things in 2020, exploring camps will not look how it usually does this year. And like good camp friend, we are here for you!
Join our team tomorrow for campy hour! You’ll get insider info, tips, and a helpful Q&A that will be applicable no matter where you are in your search whether you’re just getting started or in the process of planning tours. All participants will receive access to our exclusive 2021 resources.
We’ve been collaborating with Directors from our partner camps on the best and safest ways for families to see and learn about camp for this summer and moving forward.
In the spirit of helping our clients and community navigate this challenging period, we want to set the stage with your options so you plan accordingly! Social distance tours – in person or virtual? This summer or in the fall?
We will also be answering participants’ questions, so come prepared if you’re seeking clarity on how to find the best fit camp during this unprecedented time.
If you can’t make it, do not worry! Schedule a time to get a recap and access to our presentation.
As so many of you start preparing for your child to go to sleepaway camp for the first time this summer – I thought it would be helpful to re-share a list I created for my clients this past holiday season.
While I truly stand behind the notion that camp is the actual gift – we all appreciate that you’re going to buy them things and thought this could be helpful information for you to have. Please do keep in mind though that many of these items last up to 3 years – so if you choose wisely, you will get a few years out of them!
A helpful tip, having 2 daughters already at camp, is to avoid anything ultra trendy such as a pattern (emojis, unicorns, I’m looking at you!). Classic colors and metallics will pretty much ensure you won’t be doing this again next year!
I hope the list I’ve created is beneficial to you – and obviously you can go as crazy or minimal as you want. Some camps do have restrictions on items so always double check (happy to help with this!). If you have ANY questions at all, please let me, or ANY of the S365 team, know – and if you find any great items I’d love to know about it to share with the greater camp community. In recent years we have been creating shop camp events which have been really well received and we have upcoming ones in Westchester, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Long Island & New York City. If you would like further information on any of these – please let us know – we would love to see you there. We are so incredibly excited for your camper to start this journey and will be there for you every step of the way.
ANXIOUS IN MARCH? THAT’S ABOUT RIGHT!! Even though it’s still winter in New York and there are still about four months until camp, it’s totally normal for your first time camper to feel heightened nerves! With camp appointments, camp shopping, camp playdates, discussions of bus partners and packing lists, it’s not uncommon for kids to start expressing that they’re nervous…whether it’s with their words or with “new” behaviors (waking up in the middle of the night, wanting to sleep in bed with you, a little separation anxiety).
OMG…THIS PACKING LIST!!!! The monstrous packing list that is silently taunting you is not as scary as it seems. If you chip away at it bit by bit and take a breath before your first camp appointment, all will be okay! AND don’t hesitate to call your camp director if you have questions! That’s what we camp directors are for, especially in the dark days of winter when the phones are eerily quiet!
IS THIS GROUP CHAT FOR REAL?? The group chat that miraculously appeared on your phone with numbers you can’t identify and 100 comments every 10 minutes MAY be overwhelming to you. Moms (and dads!) may chime in on everything from pre-camp playdates to packing questions to questions about the bus stops and everything in between. Do not fear. Take EVERYTHING with a grain of salt and engage only if you want to!! Don’t be intimidated by the chatter and we promise that some of the other parents on this chat will soon become your best friends (we swear)!!
DON’T BE SHY – PICK UP THE PHONE!! We camp directors actually ENJOY talking to you parents!! Don’t start every phone call to your camp director by saying, “I hate to bother you – I know you’re so busy!” We’re never too busy for you…our customers, our clients, our “family”. Don’t be afraid to contact us with any concerns or questions – no matter how big or how small. You’re about to join our camp family for years to come and we enjoy opportunities to build closer relationships with you!
CAMP IS A ROLLERCOASTER…JUST LIKE LIFE!! Each summer at camp is a journey – a marathon – not a sprint. There will be ups and there will be downs. Just like at home, camp is real life. And if you happen to have your weekly phone call with your child and it’s a “down” day, DO NOT FREAK OUT!! Calmly assess what is actually happening for your child…and decide whether it’s worth a call to your camp director (or group leader – whoever is your contact). All campers have rough days here and there – a fight with a friend, a swollen mosquito bite, a counselor that took away flashlight time two nights ago. Expect a down day…it’s NOT the end of the world or time to switch camps!! Number one piece of advice here: STAY CALM.
YOUR CHILD IS THE ONE GOING TO CAMP AND S/HE HAS A VOICE…Remind your sons and daughters that this summer is THEIR summer! AND, if they need ANYTHING, they just need to speak up! There are LOTS of adults in camp to talk to if they need something, if they have a problem, if they don’t like the food or if they can’t find where their counselors put their underwear when they unpacked. For the first time, your kids are not going to have you to speak up for them and they will get to find and use their own voices! How lucky are they!! Practice this at home before they leave so that they’re READY and ABLE to speak up when they get to camp.
WHO HAS TIME FOR MORE FRIENDS?!! The answer: YOU! Some of the other camp moms and dads whose names you’re just learning are going to become your closest friends. It may be hard to believe, but fast forward and you’re going to talk to them daily, travel with them on vacations, hug them with authenticity on Visiting Day and depend on them for advice and friendship and carpools over the next year….and over the next ten years. Embrace it!!
SERIOUSLY…NO TV OR YOUTUBE BEFORE BED? MY KID WILL NOT SURVIVE! Ummmm…yes. Your kid will survive and it will be the GREATEST thing that ever happened to him or her!! Being unplugged is one of the best “gifts” that camp will give your child (next to friendships and confidence, of course). Giggling, flashlight tag, “apples and onions” and counselor bedtime stories will take the place of TV and video games and we PROMISE your son or daughter will love it and won’t ever look back!!
SHAMPOO vs. CONDITIONER…APPLYING SUNSCREEN…SKIM vs. 2% vs. WHOLE MILK vs. SOY…We know that these are just a few of the hundreds of questions that are keeping YOU awake at night. How will your kids navigate new responsibilities that you have always managed for them? How will they tell the difference between shampoo and conditioner? What if they choose skim milk instead of the soy that you serve at home? Don’t you worry….that’s what COUNSELORS are for!! We promise that the counselors we hire are capable and amazing, and they will be the ones to help your sons and daughters figure it all out all day every day at camp
ADHD…OCD…BED WETTING…RITALIN and MORE…We’ve seen it all and nothing scares us. We all have campers in our camps who take medication, who wet the bed, who struggle socially…and we BEG you to be up front with us before the buses roll into camp…because the more we know about your child ahead of time, the better we can take care of him or her during the summer and the more amazing we can make his or her summer at camp!! You don’t need to be embarrassed or afraid to tell us the truth about your child because we’re the ones caring for him/her for 50 days and nights and we all have the same goal – an AWESOME and HAPPY and AMAZING summer!!
WE GOT YOUR PACK!
Packing. First time packing for overnight camp. There is always this mystery surrounding it. Is there a secret list? Should you really follow the list? What about the “extras”? Our momboss powered team of experts is made up of first time camp parents, camp veterans, and everything in between. As trusted advisors, beyond helping families find the best fit sleepaway camp, we are here with information, tips, and advice to help you in this new chapter of your parenting journey…so without further adieu here are some golden rules to abide by!
YES. FOLLOW THE LIST. No, there is no secret list. And repeat after us. Camp is the gift. Camp is the gift. But we get it and understand you need to send stuff – but let’s try and keep it to a minimum, ok? We have said it before and we will say it again – you don’t need everything! LESS IS MORE! Also, while these camp stuff and clothing companies are great, don’t forget that so is Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. For your basic items, you are likely to save money purchasing from a store you already shop at then a camp specific store – save those for the more fun, special, and keepsake items!
CONNECT WITH SOMEONE OLDER at the camp so they know the specifics of that camp. Are you allowed a lockbox? What about a floor mat? Every camp has things they are and aren’t allowed, and has things that are popular/specific to their culture. Not sure you know anyone? Ask us – with hundreds of clients that go up to camp each summer – we for sure know someone to set you up with to help with this.
MAKE A CAMP APPOINTMENT (for out of the tri-state area – you can do this over the phone!) While the discount may not seem big – use this time to also spring shop for your camper. Why not? They need new jeans and leggings? Great – add it to that order. You have to buy them anyway, you may as well get a discount. It is also a great way to start getting your happy camper excited!
Also in terms of a camp appointment – don’t save all those new items for camp! Wash them and incorporate them into your camper’s home closets. There is no reason you shouldn’t get more mileage out of them – and you never know if it will make its way home from camp (or what shape it will be in!), which segues perfectly into…
If your camp has a uniform and offers an appointment in your area – GO! It is a great way to see the products, feel them and most importantly, try them on to see the best size. It is also a great way to get your camper into the camp spirit! No appointments in your area? Not to worry! Most camp outfitting companies will send you sample sizes to try. Order early, anything that isn’t personalized can be exchanged for a different size if needed. When it comes to uniforms, our motto is to buy big. The kids won’t care if it’s a bit large and then you may get a second summer out of them (or a hand me down!)…because it is true – most of them will come home with MOST of their clothing. Though we won’t lie – those white shirts often won’t make it. But they can always be turned into tie dye!
LABEL EVERYTHING. Nothing should go to camp without labels. Start now! As you do your laundry and put items away, label them! The more you label as you go, the less time it will take as the real packing begins. This is often the most time consuming part so starting sooner rather than later is key. Worst case – you label something that doesn’t actually go to camp – then it is labeled for school! We recommend sending some up with your camper – and bringing up more on visiting day.
SHARPIES. SEND ‘EM. And not just black. Make sure you send the coveted silver sharpie. It will write on anything the black one won’t. Black soccer socks? No problem.
MAKE SURE TO GET A PACK OF WHITE HANES T-SHIRTS. This way when your camper comes to getting a shirt signed, or decorating it, or tie dying it – they don’t pull out their new white Katie J NYC t shirt (and maybe have a brief conversation with them what that pack of t-shirts is for!)
WHEN SHOPPING FOR TOILETRIES – GET A SECOND SET. Send the first set and bring one up on visiting day. Trust us – you don’t want to see what their toothbrush and toothpaste will look like 3-4 weeks in. Get new sunblock, etc.
BUY EXTRA WATER BOTTLES. (disclaimer: make sure these are on your camp’s packing list because some camps do not request them) Actually – don’t buy them. You definitely have that already. How many gatorade water bottles are lying around? If you are sending 3 water bottles – bring 3 new ones up and swap them out on visiting day. You may not even want the first batch back – but if you are sending hydroflasks, you are going to want to try and salvage them. Camp says water bottles are washed – and maybe they are – but after 3-4 weeks, you are going to want some fresh ones in that rotation.
COLOR WAR / OLYMPICS / SPECIAL DAYS ITEMS – you can often buy these at camp stores but you will SAVE a ton by going to either Party City or checking out our S365 Amazon Storefront (What? What’s that you say? You didn’t know we have our very own Amazon Storefront? We do we do! Check it out here. Party City has all their gear sorted by color – so it saves you a ton of time just going to the color sections that you actually need. Do it early enough and they will still have the coveted July 4th red, white, and blue tutu.
BUNK JUNK – AGAIN, LESS IS MORE. But you know your camper. We think it is nice for first year campers to have some options for rest hour. Maybe they love to read? Or draw? Or trade baseball cards? Pack up a clear box of things that make them happy and they like to do. This way before they really bond with their bunk – they know they have something to do – and in no time, they will all be sharing their items and using them together. It becomes a great icebreaker. Each year the kids go back, they bring less and less – because they aren’t worried about what they are going to do with their “downtime”. Favorites of my son when he was younger included Tenzi, a deck of cards, baseball cards and album, Uno, Aaron’s Thinking Putty, and a diablo. My daughter gravitated towards her StickerBeans stickers and albums, string for friendship bracelets, a deck of cards, nail polish, face masks, and markers with paper.
ZIPLOC BAGS – each year it comes up that is how a lot of us pack, and each year new camper parents look puzzled. Yep. Ziploc bags and a sharpie. Once everything is laid out to be packed – every category goes into a bag and we write the campers name (even though everything inside of it is labelled!) and the contents. So think: Avery Kaiden, 18 pairs of socks. Next bag: Avery Kaiden, 8 pairs of shorts. Get the point? This keeps everything as organized as possible, everything can be layered on top of each other in the trunks, it makes it a piece of cake for the counselors that are unpacking them to know where to put everything (yes, counselors unpack. Swear!), and on that chance it rains a ton between when your trunks leave and when they show up at camp – everything stays dry. I have even had years where when I get the trunks back – everything is in these bags. I have also had years where full water bottles opened and soaked everything. And the year when nail polish bottles were not closed and they dumped out (note to self: tell my daughter to toss those before she leaves camp – we do NOT need them back!)
We totally understand the stress and anxiety that goes along with your first time packing for sleepaway camp. The good news? Next year, you will be a seasoned pro and others will be asking you for advice. Have more questions? Reach out to us – we are ALWAYS here to help and spread the camp love near and far.
A parents’ note from the heart reflecting on their sleepaway campers first time adventure at overnight camp.
Dear [Camper],
I’m writing this letter to you…but after thinking about it, I decided not to give it to you until after camp is over…Why?
Daddy and I think camp is such a magical place. But it’s not about US.
It’s YOUR place and YOUR feelings!!!
I don’t want to tell you how I felt at camp or how daddy felt at camp.
I want YOU to feel and experience everything on your own. Those feelings should be discovered by YOU. The excitement, the nerves, the sadness, the happiness, the butterflies, the confusion, the gratitude, the spirit, the victories, and the passion.
But what I can tell is that Camp Lokanda is a very special safe place. A place that is all about friendship, the beauty of the outdoors (digital detox!!!…you won’t even miss it), the excitement of waking up to each new day full of sports/activities, contagious camp spirit and true friends. Oh and Ronen’s chocolate chip pancakes that I wouldn’t give you at home.
It is about experiences and lessons that build GRIT, self-esteem and lasting character. (GRIT…single most important, but will save that for another time).
We’re so excited for you and this new big girl adventure. We’re here keeping your bedroom locked and cheering you on from afar, beaming with excitement at the thought of all the new things you will be doing for the FIRST time.
We love you and can’t wait for you to share your summer with us..swapping stories (if you care to listen to ours!)
The amazing, the bad, and the ugly. Although there really isn’t bad and ugly…it’s camp. It’s all magical.
Love you!
Mommy & Daddy
When you find the best sleepaway camp for your child, magical things can happen. And there is no better gift to share with the one you love!
5 Reasons Why a Global Learning Summer Experience May Just Be The Perfect Next Step For Your Camper
Let’s face it…camp is magical. There is nothing on earth like feeling so at home, so welcomed, and so embedded in an intentional community of caring individuals. But the real magic of camp is being immersed in an environment that gives us support and space to grow, try new things, expand our horizons, and solve interesting real-life problems. It opens up our universe, illuminates our core values, and encourages us to be joyful, compassionate, community-minded, generous, curious, creative, and courageous.
Camp raises the bar for our daily existence and how we view true friendships. But at a certain point, it’s essential for camp-lovers to take their journey to the next level, by moving out of the camp bubble, and back into the magic beyond the comfort zone to put those skills and values into action out in the world.
Since the age of 6, I’ve spent almost every summer either attending or working at a summer camp, or designing and leading international immersion programs for students that have aged-out of camp. As the Director of Global Routes, and a 9-time global immersion leader myself, I work with countless former campers each year that are making the leap from the waterfront to the world. I want to help you make the leap in a way that will best support the continued growth of your camper!
Top 5 Reasons Teenage Campers should make the leap to a Global Immersion Program
Prepare to excel in college and beyond: Build critical 21st Century Global Competencies that are central to thriving in college and beyond.
Demonstrate your desire to Learn: your continued track of seeking growth, openness, challenge, and understanding different perspectives. Build on your camp experience by taking the courageous step to seek out experiential learning in a new and challenging environment. Show admissions teams that you are always growing, expanding, and trying new things.
Show your Commitment to Service: Demonstrate your commitment to be an active, engaged, and compassionate member of your community. Some programs, including Global Routes, can award the Presidential Volunteer Service Award to particularly dedicated students. Colleges are seeking students that are going to positively impact their college community. See what Vanderbilt Admissions Counselor Jan Suter has to say:
Inspire your interests and passions before you graduate high school. So many students enter college with very limited understanding of what they really want to study, and lose out on the opportunity to make the most of an incredible education. Real-world experiences in high school help students identify areas and topics that truly excite them. This allows students to enter higher education with energy and focus and inspires students to seek out courses of study they are truly passionate about. This is an essential step in building pathways to a fulfilling and meaningful career.
Meaningful Mentorship: Camp counselors are heroes to campers. International immersion educators and instructors provide continued inspiring mentorship to aspiring leaders at just the right time. Program leaders are dynamic, caring, experienced staff who have followed their dreams across the globe. Leaders will support and push students to stretch their comfort zone, cultivate core values, and center in on areas that ignite passion and deep interest as students are contemplating the world and their role as global citizens. The teenage years are a critical time to connect with motivational mentors that will support students as they grow and launch into adulthood.
Of course, the most valuable perspective here comes from life-time campers who made the leap from camp to global immersion programs when they were in high school and now have had several years to look back and assess the value of those experiences.
Here are reflections from Jillian Gray and Kaleigh Mangiarelli. Jillian attended a month-long 2017 global immersion program and Kaleigh attended 3 month-long global immersion programs from 2008-10.
How was your global immersion experience the perfect next step after many years at camp?
“My experience allowed me to become a more confident leader. The LIT program at my summer camp served as a basis for this confidence, and my program in St. Vincent helped me put these skills into action. The purpose of our trip aligned with the goals of my camp in many ways. Being able to travel with a group and have a common goal helped make the experience even more valuable to me. In many ways being a camper and being an international traveler are very similar. In order to fully embrace either experience, one has to be willing to keep an open mind and be willing to make mistakes. It is all part of the process. -Jillian
What would you say to a teenage camper who was considering transitioning from camp to a global immersion experience?
“DO IT. I cannot stress enough how important seeing the world outside of your “bubble” is. International travel is so important in opening your eyes. The people you come into contact with, the history you learn about, the new activities and foods you try are all so extremely valuable in helping you see what life is truly like. When you actually get to see these places in person, you are gaining a much deeper appreciation for the world around you.” -Jillian
“Just do it. You absolutely will not regret it. It will change the way you look at your life, change the “things” you value, and ignite a spark for travel and learning about others that you never knew you had.” -Kaleigh
How did your global immersion experience help prepare you to be a confident global citizen?
“It helped my empathy grow to be more than just about other people’s feelings, but about others circumstances as well.” -Kaleigh
“International travel is so important in making us more aware of the world around us. Being more aware helps us become more empathetic and informed. I became more aware of myself and the impact I can have on the lives of others just as other people can have a similar impact on me. Realizing how interconnected we all really are is emphasized through international travel.” -Jillian
What was the biggest impact of your global immersion experience?
“Truly it is the people. These people have come to shape my perspective and have allowed me to become a better version of myself. I think that learning from other people is the most powerful tool we have, and the Global Routes experience allows you to form those connections to people you would never expect to be friends with at first.” -Jillian
How were the values you learned at camp reinforced on your global immersion experience?
“The ‘Full Value Contract’ explains it all. Putting the group members in charge of creating the rules, not just the authority making those decisions. This is a way that both camp and Global Routes teach young people to hold each other accountable, but in the most positive of ways.” -Kaleigh
How did your global immersion experience help you make the transition to college?
“The group living aspect of the Global Routes experience was particularly helpful to me in making this transition since it taught me some of the most valuable lessons about cooperation and collaboration. I know that my parents have said before that they didn’t have trouble picturing me going to a school far away because they knew of the independence I gained from this program. I am loving my experience in college already and I am thankful that I was able to feel right at home here almost immediately because I have already had such wonderful experiences being so far outside of my comfort zone.” -Jillian
Anything else you’d like to share?
“It is hard to put into words how life-changing it is.” -Jillian
Tips from Adam to find a great program fit:
Smaller, more intimate group sizes are going to be the best way to continue the magic of camp group dynamics. I recommend finding group sizes no larger than 18 as beyond this number, the group no longer feels like a family and can splinter into cliques.
Longer the better. It takes time to settle into a global immersion experience. We recommend seeking out programs that are at least 3.5 weeks, similar to the length of many camp sessions. 5 weeks ideal. It can take almost 2 weeks to truly feel comfortable and at home in another country. And it can take another 5 days to prep for re-entry and reverse culture shock. So 3.5 weeks is really the appropriate minimum.
Get out of the cities! The true perspective-changing experience happens away from the hustle and bustle of cities. Get off the tourist track and seek out opportunities to really soak in the rhythm of daily life in rural host communities.
Safety, Safety, Safety!! Be sure any provider you’re looking at has been around the block and has been running programs for decades. Look up reviews on GoOverseas.com, an open review platform for abroad programs and ask for a reference list. Ask about the minimum age for leaders, and what training they’ve received. We have an awesome and thorough list of safety questions you should be asking about any provider right here.
Please note that Global Routes offers free webinars this February for families that are hoping to learn even more about global immersion experiences. Learn more here.
Big day ahead! Your son or daughter is soon to meet all of the kids with whom s/he’ll be spending the summer!
Here are 7 tips to help your camper nail their first camp get together:
Don’t OVERSELL the day by putting too much pressure on your child to “make a best friend” or “make ten friends”. The day can be overwhelming on its own, and your extra pressure only adds to it.
If your child is anxious or nervous, that’s OKAY!! It’s normal! Most kids feel butterflies before their first get-together.
Encourage your son or daughter to go in with a POSITIVE attitude of “I’m going to have fun.” And remind your child to SMILE at the other kids s/he meets!
DO call the camp director ahead of time if you want specific details for how the event will go, etc. Lots of kids do better with a clear vision of what exactly to expect.
DON’T “stick around” and watch your child integrate if the event is a drop-off. Your camp directors and the staff they bring in to help for the day are professionals…they’ve got this. If your child knows you’re just around the corner or peeking in the window, s/he may keep looking back at you for reassurance (or worse yet come to you with questions or nerves or tears), thus taking away from the experience.
If your child has food allergies or dietary restrictions, make sure you find out ahead of time what is being served and if necessary, send your child with his or her own food to mimic what will be at the event.
RELAX!!! IF your son or daughter gets back in your car after and is disappointed or didn’t connect or didn’t have fun or or or, it’s OKAY. It doesn’t mean that you chose the wrong camp, or the other kids aren’t nice, or the camp doesn’t know what they’re doing…. Pick up the phone and call the camp director the next week and have an open conversation. Most directors will then suggest that you make one on one “playdates” so your child can get to know other new campers in a less overwhelming setting.
