By: Lonnie Lorenz
Thinking of sending your child to summer camp? But reluctant to to your child being homesick? You don't have to be a camper to suffer from homesickness. Any strange, new place can trigger separation anxiety. It is a normal part of childhood for many kids. It just helps provide evidence of the loving, trusting relationship you have with your kids and therefor, separation for the first time often can be a scary time.
<BR><BR>An <a href="http://www.swiftnaturecamp.com/overnight.htm">Overnight Summer Camp</a> often is difficult for a child, even if they know the seperation will be followed by a wonderful family reunion. Children can easily get overwhelmed when adjusting to living with new people in a different place, . Even for children who enjoy new adventures a short bout of homesickness is a common reaction for kids new to summer camp.
<BR><BR>As parent it's important not to measure your success by by your child's homesickness. Don't feel as if your child is not independent just because your child is having a difficult time adjusting to summer camp. It may be difficult to understand how hard your child finds the first few days at camp. For them often it seems that he will never see you again. Be sure to rationally look at your child's reactions. Often kids are just looking for a reassuring hug
<BR><BR>Remember that even adults don't always act logically when they are very anxious. Homesickness is not about your child loving or trusting you enough, or about her independence or willingness to take risks. Homesickness is a temporary situation that she can over come with the support of adults. And when a child overcomes homesickness, it is an enormous boost to both self-confidence and self esteem. So assist the camp in doing what they do best, helping kids get over home sickness.
<BR><BR>Is it ever right to say that it isn't working and bring your child home? Sure, but you must make this decision with a great deal of thought and awareness of the long-term consequences. Campers who come home before the end of their stay often feel like failures. However, sometimes, even with the best of intentions and efforts on the parts of the parents and staff, a child is just not ready for camp or it's just not a good fit. If, after a real trial (a week is not to long), and the best efforts between home and camp your child is clearly not adjusting, it's time to bring the camper home.
<BR><BR>If you make the decision to bring your child home, hopefully in agreement with the camp director, then you need to support your child fully through what he may think is a failure. Don't go through an intense reevaluation the day he comes home, but after a few days, you should sort out what went right and what went wrong with the experience. Help your child to understand that even though the camp experience was disappointing, he is not a failure because he came home. Let your child know that you may reconsider another sleepaway camp program at another time because you have confidence in him.
<BR><BR>Should you feel overnight camp maybe difficult for your child find a program that has a special "first time camper program." Swift Nature Camp offers a unique <a href="http://www.swiftnaturecamp.com/discoverytitlepage.htm">FIRST TIME AT CAMP</a> program, that is designed for children's first time away from home. This 12 day program works because it is long enough for campers to not get stuck at a place of homesickness, but rather helps them to get through those feelings. We limit the amount of campers and with only first timers, it sets a level playing feel for all campers.
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Bio:
Lonnie Lorenz has been the owners of Swift Nature Camp since 1996. SNC is a non-competitive, traditional coed overnight <a href="http://www.swiftnaturecamp.com/minnesota.htm">Minnesota Summer Camps</a> for Boys and Girls Ages 6-15. This <a href="http://www.swiftnaturecamp.com/science-atcamp.htm">Science Summer Camp</a> is an nature camp with hands on science and traditional activities.
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