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Preparing for Your Child's First Camp Experience
You've decided on just the right summer camp, and your child is looking forward to the prospect of an exciting adventure. As with any new experience, preparation can make the adjustment smoother. Here are some tips to help prepare your child for his first camp experience:
- Remain positive about the upcoming event and let your child know that you believe he can handle it. Listen to his concerns or worries and reassure him, but don't let your own anxieties brush off on him.
- Help your child become familiar with the surroundings by visiting the camp with her if at all possible. If this isn't feasible, spend some time looking at the camp website or brochure together, so that your child knows what the camp looks like, where she will be sleeping and eating, what activities will be offered, and so on. If you live in the city, spend some time discussing the difference between camp and home such as evening darkness rather than city lights, wide-open spaces rather than tall buildings, and night sounds of wildlife instead of the sounds of cars and airplanes.
- Consider finding a buddy to attend camp with your child. Sharing the experience with a close friend or relative of the same age may make it less daunting.
- Practice for the camp separation by arranging a sleepover at a friend's house or a weekend at grandma and grandpa's.
- Read over the camp policies with your child so that both of you know the rules about telephone calls or visits, money, and care packages.
- Let your child help with packing so that he can include some comforting objects, such as a favorite shirt, family pictures, or a stuffed animal. Remember to mark your child's name with a permanent marker on all clothing and valuables.
- Make arrangements to keep in touch by pre-addressing and stamping envelopes for letters home. You might also want to mail off a letter to camp a few days before your child's arrival so it is waiting for her.
- Communicate any personal traits that may interfere with your child's positive camp experience to the camp staff. If they're aware ahead of time of issues such as bedwetting, fear of the dark, or shyness, they'll be more able to deal with problems should they occur.
With good preparation, you can help to assure that the camping experience is everything you and your child had hoped for!
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