Parents View Summer Camp
By Istar Schwager, Ph.D.
Do you ever wish you could go to summer camp? Many parents who visit their children at camp say they would like to turn back the clock--or would love it if all those great activities were available to grown-ups.
More than 10 million kids go to camp each summer. According to the National Camp Association, camps are becoming more diverse, with a whole array of specialty camps available for kids. Besides sports and Scout camps, there are camps that focus on the arts, technology, language, and special issues such as weight loss or learning disabilities.
Many school-age children go to day camp, where the occasional overnight trip provides both parents and kids a taste of what it's like to be apart. Children usually indicate if, and when, they feel ready to go to sleep-away camp.
When a child goes to sleep-away camp for the first time, it's sometimes harder for the parent to adjust than for the child. Parents wait for letters, and try to interpret their meaning. Out of habit, they may even set a place at the table for the absent camper.
Most campers adjust very well, and now camps have started using technology to help keep parents in the loop by providing photos and activity updates.
Istar Schwager, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, mom, and founder of Creative Parents, Inc., with the website creativeparents.com. She believes that as parents we need all the support we can get.