I can be interesting when I want

Deciding to send your child to camp? Deciding to work at a camp? Advocating on why you should, and things to know about camp, for the most part.

Camp is and excellent learning tool for kids, it gives them a safe environment to go outside their comfort zones and try new things, even for the youngsters. The camp I worked at offered camps for grades 1-12, and were farther divided from there 7-8were on the north side, 9-12 were on the big hill, 1-3 were located near the heart of the camp, and 4-6 were on the small hill. From their they were split by genders, then sub divided by age into cabins. Boys were always on one side, and girls were on the other. Camp is beneficial at any age, you may not be comfortable for sending them as long, which is why most camps have varying length of sessions most are between 5=7 days. Our longest session was 2 weeks, but that was only for campers 7-12th grade, the young-in’s were switched out after 7 days. You may not be comfortable just yet with sending your baby to camp over night yet, but there are day camps that provide many of the same benefits of camp, but your child can sleep in their own bed.

But lets face it, at some point or another, privacy is nice! I know you love your kids, but wouldn’t it be nice not to hassle a friend to take your kids for an evening and just to know they are going to be in a safe place, having fun, learning new things, and will come home with a slew of stories to tell you that you weren’t around to witness or know the ending to? To know just for a few days you CAN, in fact, do what ever YOU want? I think it would be. Don’t kid your self either, your kids LOVE you, but (varies by age) even THEY could use a break from you. Camp gives that to them. Camp is a place where kids can grow into an individual, develop new skills, make friends that don’t go to their school, and sharpen their social skills.

As a parent you also have to remember that your kids are going to biased about whatever they liked, and did NOT like about camp, and may twist words to make it sound worse then it actually was. I’m not saying don’t trust your kids, I’m not saying your kids are wrong, or liars, what I am saying is all lies are based on a kernel of truth, find the kernel.

It’s the best experience of your life, whether your a camper or a staff member.

As a staff member the hardest part of camp is when you get towards the last few sessions, and you are some-what looking forward to the end of camp, but not saying goodbye to your new friends. It’s also hard because even though it’s YOUR last few sessions of camp, and you’ve got your routine down to an art, you will feel yourself start to lull. You have to know how to perk yourself, and shake things up, and keep camp interesting, because this may be your 7th week of camp, it’s still your camper’s first week. Some days you’re going to have that camper who will grate on your nerves. You have to shake it off, they’re just being a kid, and sometimes you have to remember that, find your inner kid, and join in, even if you feel like doofus.

Camp is a unique environment that I love. Camp is nonjudgemental, everyone every week is doing something crazy, fun, and out of the ordinary. So no matter what you do, it’s unlikely you’ll be the strangest one there.

Tips for staff:

*at the beginning of the summer write yourself a letter reminding yourself why you wanted this job, read it every time you’re feeling like you don’t know what you were thinking, and before each session starts.

*write encouraging notes to other counselors, it gives them and ego boost, and they are likely to pass it around, and probably back to you!

*whatever time you think you will have to write letters at camp, you won’t. you will honestly mean to write, but when you get a spare minute, you’re not really interested in it. I spent more time journaling then writing letters at camp. Same goes for reading.

*Journal. Daily. No lie. it’s the best way to remember camp.

*Don’t forget your camera. I don’t mean, don’t forget it at home, I mean don’t forget you have it, don’t forget to take pictures. However many you have at the end of the summer, you’ll wish you’d had more.

After being a staff member, you will better know how to treat your kids when THEY go to camp. The camp I worked at, kids almost always got letters, care packages, and printed e-mails from home. so you had to stay on top of the mail. As the future parent of a camper, I will be sending my kids at most 2 letters (from myself), to my kids, and a care package for their COUNSELOR.

I loved working there… and when I think about it, it makes makes me sick to my stomach because I want to go back, but I can’t. I don’t have the time, money, or resources too. And it’s looking like when I’ll finally have time, I’ll be married. no joke. =P

But I’d love to back, if only for one last summer.

Camp will be the best thing that’s ever happened to you, or your child, it’s an incredible and unique experience that cannot be replaced.

I can be interesting when I want

I like: inventing words. ninjas. 21. velociraptors. touching. painting. cats. beauty and the beast.

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