Remedies for Camping Home Sickness
Remedies for Camping Home Sickness
One issue that many children, teens, and even young adults face at sleep away camps is homesickness. Even a child who is very excited and eager for camp may later suffer from homesickness. Studies have shown that homesickness at summer camp is normal and most kids experience it. Those who go homesick free are the exception, not the rule.
As a parent, you may be wondering what you can do to ease your child’s moments of suffering. Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to help your child deal with and overcome the uncomfortable feelings of homesickness that he or she is likely to experience at some point during camp. The following are ten tips that can help you prepare your child for a more fun filled summer camp adventure.
1. During the school year, encourage and nurture your child’s independence. This will gradually get them used to being separated from you and this helps them build important life skills. Some good ways to practice being away from home are sleepovers and backyard camping.
2. Before you decide which camp you want your child going to, ask them what they think. Have them provide their own input on how they want to spend their summer and they will likely be more excited to attend and feel more comfortable in a place away from home.
3. Before you send your son or daughter off to camp, sit down and talk to them about what they expect camp to be like. Ask them about any worries or questions they have. You can do some role playing with meeting new people or acting out situations that might make your child nervous to abate their fears.
4. Set appointments ahead of time when you tell your child to call you. This will help them feel like you are there for them and will give them something to look forward to when they feel the tinge of homesickness.
5. A few days before you send your child off to camp, send them a loving letter or a care package. This way, they will get it a day or two after they arrive at camp, and it will let them know that you miss them and are thinking of them.
6. Don’t try to bribe your child’s good behavior with a material reward. This will detract from the amazing camp experience that your child can enjoy, and a fun camp experience is its own reward.
7. Help your child to pack some items that remind them of home, such as a teddy bear or lucky charm.
8. If homesickness does strike your child, try your best to avoid the urge of taking them home early. Remember that homesickness is both normal and temporary.
9. To see how your child is doing at camp, you can call the camp counselor or director to see if your kid is adjusting to camp and being away from home.
10. Encourage your child to stay at camp and enjoy being away from home. Camp is an important experience that teaches children necessary life skills and experiences such as independence, social skills, and ingenuity.
While most cases of homesickness are short-lived and ebb within the first two days of camp, the most important thing as a parent to remember is to trust your instincts. If homesickness is affecting your child’s ability to sleep and eat, then you may want to look into that. If you do decide to have your child return home early, remember not to belittle them for not having stayed the whole time. Remind them that it is just camp and they can always go back next year.
- Maayan Gordon
