Spending a week away at summer camp can be a scary experience for new campers. Often our first year campers have never spent more than a night or two away from home. Although it can be scary for the camper, it can also be a scary experience for parents. We are asking them to trust us in caring for their most prized possessions for an entire week. To help settle the fear a little bit, I thought I would dedicate this blog to our parents.
I called up 3 Camp Super Moms and asked them to answer a few questions about their experience in sending their kids to camp for the first time.
Lisa's son Cody has been attending camp for many years and he currently volunteers most of his summer as a Counsellor.
Perry sent all her 5 kids to camp as campers. A few of them returned as volunteers and one worked as a Program Staff. Perry herself served on the Camp Board of Directors for many years.
Sandy's daughter Paula attended camp as a camper, a volunteer counsellor, a program staff, and served on the Camp Board of Directors. Sandy worked for several years as Admin Staff as well as Camp Director from 2013-2014.
Here is what they have to say about being first time Camp Parents.
How did you first hear about Camp Encounter?
Lisa: Grade 2 was a very challenging year for Cody both at school and in our home life - and I was looking for something to do with Cody for some of the summer. I approached our Youth Coordinator at our church (St. Charles) and she could not speak more highly about Camp Encounter. On her recommendation, I did some research and then enrolled Cody for his first week at Camp.
Perry: A Friend of my son invited him to go with him.
Sandy: Through our school - Grade 6 camping trip.
How did you feel sending your child off to Camp for the first time?
Lisa: I was devastated! Cody and I have been on our own since he was a baby and we had never been apart for more than a night at a time...how would I ever survive 5 nights without him. I took a deep breath, knowing this was a great thing for him, and booked lots of activities for myself to keep busy while he was gone. I was so happy he was going to the environment he was headed to, but so afraid to let him go!
Perry: A bit nervous but thought it would be a good experience for him and felt it would be great for him to learn more about his faith in this environment instead of just going to church.
Sandy: Paula asked to go on her own to summer camp after the Gr 6 trip - I thought "wow" this place must be something for a 12 year old to want to go without friends.
What was your biggest fear about sending them?
Lisa: I was so afraid that he would go and not make friends, that he would struggle without me, that he would be lonely and want to come home. I wished he had a friend to go with, but the first year he went by himself...at least for the first few hours.
Perry: I was worried if he would like it and have fun and fit in!
Sandy: Probably supervision.
What was your biggest comfort in sending them?
Lisa: I was very happy that the camp that we chose was faith based - that they had morals and values that they would instil in Cody. I loved hearing that a priest (Fr. Catfish) was a regular visitor of the camp and worked with the kids and guided them.
Perry: That he was with a friend.
Sandy: How safe she felt and how happy she was.
What was your biggest hope for their return?
Lisa: I hoped that Cody would come home with some inner peace. He desperately needed some self confidence and praise from someone other than mom!
Perry: That they would have fun but also learn something about their faith and add to their faith - see it in a different way.
Sandy: That she was able to have some new experiences in a safe environment and making new friends
What changes did you notice in your child when they returned home?
Lisa: "Who is this child, and what did you do with my Cody?" I uttered those words many times in the few weeks after Cody came home! When Cody drove away on the bus headed for camp there were tears of fear and nervousness. When he returned, there were tears also, but they represented the amazing time he had, how he would miss his new friends and how much he loved the place he would learn to call his second home. When Cody got off the bus after his first week, he made the effort to go and talk to Gravey (David) - I thought he was going to thank him for the week and say see you next year...but what he said was "be careful Gravey, one day I'm going to have your job!" I truly believe after attending as a camper for 7 years and including this coming summer as a counsellor for 3 years...I will see that happen! Cody has become this amazing, outgoing person who has found his faith, his confidence, his love for children and his desire to give to the kids what camp has given to him.
Perry: More Confident, New Friends which he to this day, 17 years later, still connects with.
Sandy: How excited she was about her experience, how she wanted to go back before she even came home and her opportunities to grow through managed risks
If you could tell Camp Staff anything about working with parents, what would you say?
Lisa: Continue to do what you do! I love how you chat with the kids and parents at the bus - it gives them a friend before they even depart.
Perry: To assure them their kid won't be left out and learn something and have fun learning about their faith.
Sandy: Understand that this is their "baby" so safety is always a concern, managing risks with still allowing their kids to have fun and extend themselves in ways they may never have before. Also that everyone comes from a different background so not to over-react to criticism - assess whether the concern is real and if so address in a thoughtful way.
If you could tell parents sending their kids to camp anything, what would you say?
Lisa: Let them go...you couldn't ask for them to be in a more fun and faithful place. The staff, counsellors and community will take the best of care of your children, they will wrap their arms around them, teach them and instil a faithful foundation that will help and guide them for many years to come.
Perry: It is the best on so many different levels: confidence, faith, friendship building, independence, problem solving etc. I feel the staff at our Camp are so real and relevant which is huge for teaching about faith in todays world. I love Camp and am so glad that all FIVE of my kids experienced it of a number of years in their growing up!!!
Sandy: Camp Encounter is a wonderful place for children to have an opportunity to have fun, meet new friends, have new experiences and try new activities. Today children don't always have an opportunity to try low-risk activities in a safe environment and that is such an important aspect of their growth.
Thank-you to Lisa, Perry, and Sandy for their honesty and wise words. Also a thank-you to all our super moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, foster families, etc. Thank-you for trusting us with your kids and I hope that you too will see the benefits of Camp for years to come. Also please share your story with other parents whose kids you think could benefit from Camp.
I called up 3 Camp Super Moms and asked them to answer a few questions about their experience in sending their kids to camp for the first time.
Lisa's son Cody has been attending camp for many years and he currently volunteers most of his summer as a Counsellor.
Perry sent all her 5 kids to camp as campers. A few of them returned as volunteers and one worked as a Program Staff. Perry herself served on the Camp Board of Directors for many years.
Sandy's daughter Paula attended camp as a camper, a volunteer counsellor, a program staff, and served on the Camp Board of Directors. Sandy worked for several years as Admin Staff as well as Camp Director from 2013-2014.
Here is what they have to say about being first time Camp Parents.
How did you first hear about Camp Encounter?
Lisa: Grade 2 was a very challenging year for Cody both at school and in our home life - and I was looking for something to do with Cody for some of the summer. I approached our Youth Coordinator at our church (St. Charles) and she could not speak more highly about Camp Encounter. On her recommendation, I did some research and then enrolled Cody for his first week at Camp.
Perry: A Friend of my son invited him to go with him.
Sandy: Through our school - Grade 6 camping trip.
How did you feel sending your child off to Camp for the first time?
Lisa: I was devastated! Cody and I have been on our own since he was a baby and we had never been apart for more than a night at a time...how would I ever survive 5 nights without him. I took a deep breath, knowing this was a great thing for him, and booked lots of activities for myself to keep busy while he was gone. I was so happy he was going to the environment he was headed to, but so afraid to let him go!
Perry: A bit nervous but thought it would be a good experience for him and felt it would be great for him to learn more about his faith in this environment instead of just going to church.
Sandy: Paula asked to go on her own to summer camp after the Gr 6 trip - I thought "wow" this place must be something for a 12 year old to want to go without friends.
What was your biggest fear about sending them?
Lisa: I was so afraid that he would go and not make friends, that he would struggle without me, that he would be lonely and want to come home. I wished he had a friend to go with, but the first year he went by himself...at least for the first few hours.
Perry: I was worried if he would like it and have fun and fit in!
Sandy: Probably supervision.
What was your biggest comfort in sending them?
Lisa: I was very happy that the camp that we chose was faith based - that they had morals and values that they would instil in Cody. I loved hearing that a priest (Fr. Catfish) was a regular visitor of the camp and worked with the kids and guided them.
Perry: That he was with a friend.
Sandy: How safe she felt and how happy she was.
What was your biggest hope for their return?
Lisa: I hoped that Cody would come home with some inner peace. He desperately needed some self confidence and praise from someone other than mom!
Perry: That they would have fun but also learn something about their faith and add to their faith - see it in a different way.
Sandy: That she was able to have some new experiences in a safe environment and making new friends
What changes did you notice in your child when they returned home?
Lisa: "Who is this child, and what did you do with my Cody?" I uttered those words many times in the few weeks after Cody came home! When Cody drove away on the bus headed for camp there were tears of fear and nervousness. When he returned, there were tears also, but they represented the amazing time he had, how he would miss his new friends and how much he loved the place he would learn to call his second home. When Cody got off the bus after his first week, he made the effort to go and talk to Gravey (David) - I thought he was going to thank him for the week and say see you next year...but what he said was "be careful Gravey, one day I'm going to have your job!" I truly believe after attending as a camper for 7 years and including this coming summer as a counsellor for 3 years...I will see that happen! Cody has become this amazing, outgoing person who has found his faith, his confidence, his love for children and his desire to give to the kids what camp has given to him.
Perry: More Confident, New Friends which he to this day, 17 years later, still connects with.
Sandy: How excited she was about her experience, how she wanted to go back before she even came home and her opportunities to grow through managed risks
If you could tell Camp Staff anything about working with parents, what would you say?
Lisa: Continue to do what you do! I love how you chat with the kids and parents at the bus - it gives them a friend before they even depart.
Perry: To assure them their kid won't be left out and learn something and have fun learning about their faith.
Sandy: Understand that this is their "baby" so safety is always a concern, managing risks with still allowing their kids to have fun and extend themselves in ways they may never have before. Also that everyone comes from a different background so not to over-react to criticism - assess whether the concern is real and if so address in a thoughtful way.
If you could tell parents sending their kids to camp anything, what would you say?
Lisa: Let them go...you couldn't ask for them to be in a more fun and faithful place. The staff, counsellors and community will take the best of care of your children, they will wrap their arms around them, teach them and instil a faithful foundation that will help and guide them for many years to come.
Perry: It is the best on so many different levels: confidence, faith, friendship building, independence, problem solving etc. I feel the staff at our Camp are so real and relevant which is huge for teaching about faith in todays world. I love Camp and am so glad that all FIVE of my kids experienced it of a number of years in their growing up!!!
Sandy: Camp Encounter is a wonderful place for children to have an opportunity to have fun, meet new friends, have new experiences and try new activities. Today children don't always have an opportunity to try low-risk activities in a safe environment and that is such an important aspect of their growth.
Thank-you to Lisa, Perry, and Sandy for their honesty and wise words. Also a thank-you to all our super moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, foster families, etc. Thank-you for trusting us with your kids and I hope that you too will see the benefits of Camp for years to come. Also please share your story with other parents whose kids you think could benefit from Camp.
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