SPECIAL SECTION
CAMP & SCHOOL GUIDE
“fun” extreme behaviors and emotions
that happen at school won’t materialize
at camp. Unfortunately, the opposite
is often true. Camp is a highly struc-
tured environment where every waking
moment has social, emotional and/or
behavioral demands. Many camps have
mental health professionals on staff to
work together with parents, counselors
(and your child’s teachers/therapists, if
necessary) to create and supervise com-
prehensive accommodation plans (see
step 1). The more prepared the camp is
for your child, the better their chances for
success. Withholding vital information
(or sharing it at the very last moment)
only sets your child up for failure.

On a related note, please don’t change
or stop your child’s medications during
camp. Camp, while magical and transfor-
mative, can also be stressful. Dealing with
changes to medications while adjusting to
camp life may add to stress.

5. In the months leading up to
camp, provide opportunities for your
child to practice independence and
self-advocacy Although there is plenty of support,
sleepaway campers need to be able to help
themselves in many ways. They should
be able to shower without assistance,
serve themselves food, be able to identify
their own belongings and put their dirty
clothes in a laundry bag. They will even
be expected to make their bed. Have your
child practice as many of these things as
you can at home before camp. It will sig-
nificantly reduce their stress if they don’t
have to learn all of this for the first time
while also learning the ropes at camp.

More importantly, sleepaway campers
need to be able to advocate for them-
selves. Counselors, while fabulous, are
not mind readers. Give your child oppor-
tunities to use their voice and witness
firsthand the power of self-advocacy. Let
them order for themselves in restaurants,
ask a store clerk for help, ask the teacher
a question or tell a friend what’s bother-
ing them. This practice will help them
to communicate when and if they need
help at camp and parents aren’t there to
speak for them.

6. Get comfortable with discomfort
The first time they go to camp, most
children will experience some nervous-
ness. They may even cry or have trouble
sleeping at first. As difficult as this is,
know that this is the kind of discomfort
that leads to growth. Working through
discomfort now will set your child up for
working through adversity throughout
their life; on the playground, at the choir
performance, their first break up, col-
lege. This might sound hyperbolic, but
it couldn’t be truer.

You can help by normalizing homesick-
ness, and helping your child come up with
a plan for how they will deal with it when
and if it does happen. Who at camp can
they talk to? What are some things they can
do to help themselves fall asleep or calm
themselves down (breathing exercises, etc.)?
As departure day gets closer, and ner-
vousness intensifies, you may feel tempted
to negotiate with your child to get them
on the bus, saying things like, “If you
don’t like it after three days, I’ll come pick
you up.” Please do not do that. There is
nothing worse you can say if you want
your child to fully engage. Now they
know they don’t have to.

Meanwhile, prepare yourself for letters
that may be alarming, that feel desperate.

Don’t panic. If that happens, call the
camp to discuss strategies and options.

The camp is your partner in supporting
your child and their success at camp.

7. Trust the camp
You researched, attended meetings and
spoke to staff. You chose this camp for
a reason. Now let them do what they do
best. When you do things like setting up
secret codes with your child for the camp
photos, sneaking covert cell phones into
their luggage or questioning staff on open-
ing day about bunk requests, you send the
message that the camp can’t be trusted
with your child’s best interest. If you don’t
trust the camp, why should your child?
Yes, sending your child away to some-
one else’s care is a leap of faith and that
is scary for any parent. Your camp does
not take your faith in them for granted.

Partner with them.

8. Trust your child
In the end, your child needs to know that
you genuinely believe that they can do it.

Even if it’s hard, even if it’s scary, they can
do it. The way I see it, scary just means
something great is about to happen. JN
Jodi Woodnick is a child, adolescent and family
therapist with Out of the Woods Counseling in
Scottsdale (outofthewoodsaz.com). Prior to her
current role with WBT Camps, she was the director
of Camp Charles Pearlstein in Prescott (now Camp
Daisy and Harry Stein) from 2002-2012.

https://www.pxu.org/phoenixeducatorpreparatory JEWISHAZ.COM
JEWISH NEWS
JANUARY 6, 2023
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