Each year as camp nears its end I hear from parents about the final days of camp. Not just the heavy heart of their campers who are so sad to leave, but also both sides of the parent fence - anxious for the kids to finally arrive back home while at the same time sad their spontaneity and freedom are about to end.
This also conjures up memories of the season's camp phone calls home. As one blogger shared on her site, Dads need to get the rules straight about how to maximize each minute of a 10 minute call. This post of hers is incredibly funny, and true, all at the same time.
Some parents have shared that their kids have really grown - well that's what sleepaway camp accomplishes! Whether it is a child overcoming a fear or a habit, becoming more open to new experiences, or older campers making a decision that they love camp but they are ready to more on next summer to a specialized and challenging experience since they will be in high school. It is all good.
The final days of camp are emotionally the best and the rawest. Nothing is more exciting than the final days of Color War, Olympics, or group sing. My kids yearned and looked forward to each summer their camp's silent dinner tradition during the camp's version of Color War. I still hear them talk about it to this day. Emotions are raw because every second counts these final days; it may be weeks or months before they reunite with their summer sisters or brothers. And as I have often shared, the camp bonds tend to be tighter than the friendships back home.
But the group who suffers the most are the graduating campers. While they looked forward each summer to more privileges and responsibilities, this culminating summer where they were the leaders is coming to the end; it really is their final summer as a camper. This is very hard for teens to grasp. I remember both my kids (and I have a girl and a boy) were extraordinarily sad for weeks (even months). To many kids this is harder than moving onto high school. A childhood phase comes to a close. But there is often a future opportunity to return as a staff member or counselor (but the camper status ends sadly.)
Transitions back home can be tough. Parents can't wait to pull their campers back into the real world, while the kids really want to remain campers and be back at camp. So parents, take it slow and read my top tips to help your kids (and you) transition back to home and school life.
And let's begin the countdown to next summer's camp start!
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