School’s out, and camp is in session. Regardless of whether this is your child’s first or fifth time off to camp, every camper knows that mail call is an exciting time. Tara Markley, K-State Research & Extension Johnson County 4-H agent and camp director, says, “We encourage parents to mail handwritten letters with encouraging messages, such as ‘we hope that you are having a great time’ or ‘get out there and try something new and exciting.’” She notes that it’s important to keep the messages positive to curb homesickness. “When parents write letters that focus on how much they miss their child,” she says, “they start missing home and miss out on great camp experiences that can help them to grow.”
Angela Castro, mother of seasoned campers, agrees. “Our kids loved having their names called during mail call, so we made sure to send letters and small packages ahead of time to ensure they made it there in time for the kids to get them. We kept it fun with funny messages, little trinkets, and decorated the packages with designs.” Castro also notes that they keep the communication fun so the kids can grow from camp life. “Everyone grows from the camp experience if you let it work its magic, even Mom and Dad,” says Castro.
Jill Smith, mother and school social worker, also recognizes that camp communication should encourage growth. “While the letting go for parents can be a challenge, you are giving your child a gift by allowing him to go to overnight camp and gain independence,” Smith says. “When our daughter went off to overnight camp, we placed notes randomly throughout her luggage and in pockets of clothes to encourage her to have a great time.”
Markley encourages the little notes. “It’s fun to hide encouraging notes throughout your camper’s luggage or bedding.” Markley also recommends sending your camper with stationery and self-addressed stamped envelopes to friends and family. “There is usually some down time at camp, and these are the times when kids start to get homesick. A good way to fill this time is in writing letters home to tell about all the adventures they area having,” she says. “This helps them to keep in touch while keeping up the excitement for camp.” Markley adds that letter writing can sometimes feel like a lost art and that the idea of letting today’s youth explore the sentiment of a handwritten letter is a good experience.
Camps do have phones, computers and internet, however, communicating in these formats is typically discouraged outside of emergencies. Says Markley, “We discourage calling home, because we want to encourage the kids to be present in the camp experience, grow and become more independent. Our goal is to have a partnership with parents where we do all we can to ensure the safety and growth of their children so they can feel comfortable letting them go to fully enjoy the camp experience for that week.”
Castro and Smith both say camps often discourage phone calls. “When my children went to camp, phone calls and texts were discouraged so that the campers could receive the full benefit of being away at camp,” says Castro. “Cell phones or technology for campers to contact home were not allowed,” adds Smith.
But don’t worry about not knowing what to expect when it’s time to communicate with your camper. There will be plenty of information provided to help you navigate what, when, where and how to send your messages to your kids. “The camp provided us a great deal of information on what we could do to communicate and the camp’s purpose and rules on communication,” Smith says. “Each camp gave suggestions in their literature about what would be appropriate for communication,” says Castro.
Markley points out that this is common. “We distribute family guides for what to expect for camp and the rules so that families can prepare well in advance,” she says. She also recommends the American Camp Association website for more tips, tricks and guidance on camp life.
So have no fear, take that deep breath, hide those notes, mail those letters and know that your young one is off to a great adventure!
American Camp Association: http://www.ACACamps.org
Karah Chapman is a school psychologist in the Kansas City area. She still remembers the joy of overnight camp mail call!