Whether overnight or during the day, summer camp offers kids a chance to make friends, learn new skills, become more independent, enjoy the outdoors and have fun! But for some kids, spending time apart from family, or even having new experiences, can make them nervous.
Sumru Bilge-Johnson, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Akron Children’s and a mom herself, offers parents a few tips on how to help kids navigate their nerves before they hit the trail this summer.
1. Ask if your child has any worries about camp.
Whether it’s their first year or they have gone before, leaving home can be scary. Try to “normalize” their anxiety by letting them know it’s OK to be nervous, but that it shouldn’t stop them from participating. Give ideas about how to solve problems like talking to a camp counselor and remind them that they may discover they enjoy something they didn’t expect like making new friends or new activities.
2. Get specific about camp activities.
Try selecting a camp that matches your child’s interests or characteristics. Whether they are interested in archery, sailing or other activities, offer them encouragement about the new experiences at camp. You might even review the camp websites together for ideas. If you or your other children have positive camp stories, share them because it may help your child look forward to those experiences.
3. Send a piece of home with them.
At some point during camp, your child is likely to get a little homesick. During those times it helps if they have a reminder of home. Have them pack a few mementos from home to take to camp like a family photo or a stuffed animal.
4. Let your child unplug.
Your child is going away to camp and that might even be scary for you. It may be tempting to let them call/text whenever they are feeling homesick, but that can encourage, rather than discourage, their homesickness. Remind them that talking with a camp counselor or friend can help during these moments. Counselors often have helpful ideas on how to ease worries since they’ve likely worked with other homesick campers.
5. Practice makes perfect.
Think of ways you can help your child practice going away to camp before the big day. Consider having them spend the night at a friend or relative’s house for a weekend before the start of camp. Shorter trips will give them an idea of what to expect when they go away to camp.
