For many parents, the upcoming summer means a looming decision about whether to send their children to overnight camp for the first time. On the one hand, overnight camp can be an incredibly impactful experience in the life of a developing child – sleepaway experiences give kids the opportunity to develop tremendous confidence and independence, make new lifelong friends, and learn new skills and explore new passions.
However, central to an overnight camp experience is the idea that a child will be without their parents – and many families wonder whether their child is mature enough for such an experience. Additionally, parents need to consider the fact that their son or daughter will be undergoing significant growth over the next several months, and that their child’s readiness today might not be indicative of their readiness on opening day. At Everything Summer, we work closely with client families to help assess child readiness and identify right-fit summer camps where their children can grow summer after summer. So how can parents navigate all of these factors in order to make the right camp decision for their child?
Talk About Camp
A simple, but vital first step for parents is to simply speak with their children about summer camp. Of course, your child will not be the ultimate decisionmaker about whether they go to overnight camp – this is a parenting decision after all – but their input may be extremely informative to a parent trying to make a decision. If a child is very adverse to the idea of overnight camp, this may very well be a sign that they are not ready and should not be pushed to attend overnight camp. Conversely, If a child is excited by the activities, the idea of bunk life, and the special events at camp – or if they express a desire to follow their big siblings – they might very well be ready for this next experience.
It’s important to have this conversation well in advance of summer because, as camp approaches and the prospect of leaving home becomes more real, a child might suddenly seem to lose the enthusiasm for camp they might have displayed a few months previously. This is completely normal – it’s scary to leave home for the first time – and a little trepidation is not going to determine whether or not your child will be successful at overnight camp. However, by talking about camp with your child well in advance of the summer you’ll have a better opportunity to gauge your child’s interest and excitement.
Look for Progress
If parents are considering sending their child away for several weeks over the summer, they would do well to ensure their child can successfully navigate spending time away from home. Organizing sleepovers with friends or grandparents is a great way to assess whether a child might be ready to make the leap to overnight camp. If a child knows they will be seeing their parents the following day, but can’t make it through the night away from home, they likely will not respond well to knowing they will go weeks without seeing mom and dad. However, if your child begs to stay another day when you arrive to pick them up from a friend’s after a sleepover, they may be independent enough to take this next step.
Speak with a Director
If you’re on the fence about your child’s readiness, try scheduling a call with the camp’s director. You can describe your child, and why you are hesitant, and see how the Camp Director responds – remember, they are the ones who will be in charge of taking care of your child, and so they are also very invested in your making the right decision. A camp director may want to have a video chat with your camper so they can get to meet them as well, so they can assess the child’s readiness before giving you their opinion. This is particularly important if your child has any specific needs or challenges – the Director will be able to provide feedback not only about your child’s readiness, but also their fit at a specific camp, and whether that camp can offer the support your child needs. It’s important to keep in mind that camp directors are professionals – many will have spent years in camping, and worked with thousands of kids, and they will likely be able to provide an informed opinion as to your child’s readiness and maturity.
Expect an Adjustment
Even if you determine your child is mature enough for overnight camp, this does not mean you should expect your child to transition to camp life without any turbulence. For most kids who attend overnight camp, their first summer is also their first experience of being without their parents for an extended period of time – this can be overwhelming for a child. Over the many years I spent at camp each summer, the first days – or sometimes even the first weeks – always involved a number of campers struggling to the adjustment of life at camp. Oftentimes these were new campers away from home for the first time – though many times, returning campers who knew they loved camp would still struggle with the transition. In any case, you should be prepared to work with the camp leadership team to help your child adjust, and should not panic if your child has a hard first few days. While it’s incredibly difficult as a parent not to intervene, by allowing your child to manage the transition, you are helping them take the first step in developing the resiliency and independence that will only continue to grow throughout their camp years.
Overnight camp is an exceptional experience for children, and successful summers at sleepaway camp can provide major foundations for your child’s growth, setting them up to successfully develop through their teen and even college years. By thoughtfully assessing your child’s readiness, and considerately approaching the process of selecting a camp and beginning their overnight camping journey, you will do an incredible service to your child that will have tremendous positive consequences for years to come.