Everything Summer Blog

Thought Leaders and Camp

This weekend we saw Iron Lady, in time to catch Meryl Streep pre-Oscars (always enjoy seeing nominees before the awards). The movie was full of life lessons and history, with Meryl conveying the character of Margaret Thatcher incredibly (she became her).

What was most memorable was a quote she mentioned, that really was from based on a Gandhi quote:

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.

This all makes me think of camp, and the impact it has on campers and staff. When kids are away from home, bonding with others away from technology, they focus, I believe, on life choices and people. They take stock more of their actions and impact on others. And good actions become habits and values they bring home with them.

Thatcher also said: "Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction." And isn't camp about experiencing pride in all that you do, which leads to fulfillment and stronger self esteem?

No Power: Is It Summer Camp?

Many people were left without power this past week after a freaky October snowstorm. The lack of power was exceptionally inconvenient and in some cases dangerous. Non-working traffic lights, tree debris, downed wires caused accidents. Schools and businesses were closed. Halloween was cancelled or postponed in many communities. Could there possibly be a silver lining?

Friends opened their hearts and homes to others, offering beds, showers, chargers, food, and heat to those without. Their generosity inspired others to do the same once they got back power. Neighbors who usually are too busy to interact made time to commiserate and keep each other apprised of news and progress. Strangers sat in Starbucks and shared tips on keeping warm and communicating with the utility companies.

Deprived of video games, television and internet access, families spent a lot of together time. Board games were played. People read by flashlight. Older children helped take care of younger children - both siblings and friends of the family. Everybody was more patience with each other (except those that really weren't). Meals had to be planned and eaten together. Hair was not blown dry, and no make-up was applied. It became apparent to everyone what was really important - family, friends, and of course, heat, light and food.

It was a frustrating and uncomfortable week for all those that lost power, and it was an experience that no one wants to repeat (there is a run on generators!!). On the other hand, many children wait all year until they can go to summer camp, counting each day until they can get on the bus and reunite with their friends and counselors, their summer family. Yet, some of the things that make summer camp so special are the lack of electronics, the shared mealtimes, and the older children taking care of younger ones. Of course, camp is a lot more - great activities, exciting experiences, etc. But, many of the things that make camp special are less obvious - the send of community, the simplicity of life, shared communal activities, the responsibility and pride in caring for younger children emulating older ones.

Although everyone wants to forget the last week with no power as quickly as they cam, perhaps we should try to remember some of it.

Back-to-School and Bullying

It's a new school year. With new shoes, a new book bag and the latest in technology, kids are back to bullying. They've left the safe haven of summer camp, where there is zero tolerance for bullying, to face its evil presence in school and on-line.

I took a sneak peek at CBS News/48 Hours Special Presentation, Bullying: Words Can Kill, to be aired, Friday, September 16, 8PM ET/PT. 1 in 4 children are bullied daily, 160,000 kids stay home every day because they are afraid of being bullied. And, sadly,too many lives are taken over this horrendous act.

The special highlights key signs that parents should be aware of, that may indicate their child is being bullied; in essence, sharp changes in behavior - such as best friends parting suddenly, a former Facebook daily user who refuses to go on-line, eating and sleeping patterns that are abnormal. Parents need to step in and discuss these changes; bringing them to the attention of professionals and their school.

Top tips include:

• Be your child's advocate
• Monitor on-line activities
• What to do if your child is bullied
• And could your child be a bully

It would be much better for children if schools could adapt some of the strategies and training that summer camps invest heavily in each summer, and year-round. An effective consequence for campers is being told to leave camp for behaviors that are not allowed - parents have to escort them home and money is not refunded. And since camps do this every summer, kids know camps walk the talk. I actually witnessed such an exit this summer when I was re-visiting a camp. The director was quick to point out to me the group dynamics and strategies they put in place to protect their campers. Such post-exit guidance meetings for campers impacted by the bullier and those who might think the bullier should have stayed, prove effective management tools for the camp staff and campers. Reinforcing what a positive community stands for (and does not).

Please share this post so others watch this important presentation and get involved to stop bullying in its tracks.

 

The Night Before Summer Camp

The last night home before leaving for sleepaway camp conjures up rituals and memories, as a parent, child and even the summer camp expert here. And tonight is that night for me.

Whether your child is going off to camp for the first time, successive summers, or his or her final summer, it is emotional and memorable for everyone. Having lived through so many of these nights, I share my memories and lessons learned, to make it easier for others:

• Share their favorite foods - of course! My kids would often have different requests. So we would bring in from their favorite restaurants. For others it is a special meal a child and/or parent prepares.
• Do a family activity - in our case, movies have been a family bond that ties all of us together. So we'd pick the latest new film (when they were young) and be sure we saw it as a family that last night together. As tastes matured, we moved onto independent films.
• Pack their knapsack together - whether kids go off to camp via a bus, car, plane or train, there remain always a few items that did not get packed in their trunk. Or more importantly, there are some special or personal items you want them to have en route to camp. In our case, it was a new family photo book that included family and close friends, a treasured stuffed animal or comfort item they could use if they wanted to feel close to home or us, favorite music (remember no electronics with video abilities are allowed), favorite dvds to share with the bunk when allowed during movie night (the camp office would hold), snack/gum (remember, they take these away when the kids arrive, so do NOT go overboard with this), book, specialty magazines, any last minute clothes, etc. Remember, they have to be able to carry this knapsack themselves!
• Write a special note - and pack it in their knapsack yourself. My kids cherished these. Notes of encouragement and love go far.
• Talk about happy times and how wonderful camp is - no negative, or 'child sick' talk allowed! This is not the time to talk about important things you forgot to mention. Kids need their parents support and happiness as they go off to camp. If your kids show anxieties, it is normal; be reassuring. You can call the camp in the morning after you drop off your kids to alert them of any last minute conversations of which they should be aware.

Developing rituals around this night will become something all of you look forward to and cherished memories as you and your child reminisce about their camp years.

What are you last-night-before-camp rituals?

Thank You!

Okay, I am one of those people who ends most sentences with 'thank you.' It's really automatic. I thought I'd ask you, do you say 'thank you' enough (especially this time of year)?

This recent USA Today article, Final Word: Make a note to be grateful every day, made me stop to think about all the things and people I am grateful for. I am not being sappy; just honest. I guess I have reached the point in my life that I wake up each day thankful for the health and happiness of my family, friends and colleagues. I feel so fortunate to have daily purpose; and especially grateful I can make a difference in people's lives.

There used to be a movie preview commercial that said something along the lines of people won't remember how big your house was or how fancy your cars were.....And this was before our latest recession. Boy were they right. I don't take anything for granted; nor do I really want for anything. It's not that I have so many worldly possessions; it's that I am rich in what matters - health, family, marriage, children, wonderful friends. And experiences.

Camp is one of those experiences, personally and professionally. My husband and I both had different and positive childhood camp experiences, and we talk about them often. And our kids had even better camp and summer experiences than we did (of course).  We are both so grateful to our parents for gifting us these opportunities, and talk to our kids about this. They get it too.

So as a final request for 2010, I ask that you think about gratitude and check off of your 2010 bucket list saying thank you as often as you can to as many people as possible. It's contagious, and you will be thankful you did!

Summer Gadget Fun

To celebrate the launch of the latest iphone 4 today, I thought I'd share some cool gadgets to capture summer fun. Remember, if your kids are going to camp, check the electronics policies. Almost none allow any mechanisms that have video capability; and do not take the risk of something valuable getting lost. But bring those nifty flip-cam and smart phones to say good bye and attend visiting day. You want those memories documented!

The New York Times did a nice article recently on some gadgets. Here are my picks:

• Compact travel buddy cameras that fit in a pocket or small purse. Some have a GPS function that lets you plot where the photo was shot (almost foursquare-like??). It also shoots high definition video.
• Outdoors, underwater cameras. Good choice for adventures and fits in a pocket. Take it on a trail, bike ride, the pool or even snorkeling (high definition video lets you remember what you really saw, with your expressions). And dropping it does not mean it will break.
• budget-minded, and for the less sophisticated - kids and teens (and less tech-oriented parents, like me). Apparently its easy features make it almost foolproof for novices (think I'll seriously look into this one).

Other good travel gadget sources and ideas include walkabouttravelgear.com for tech travel supplies, skype for calling, yelp for reviews, tripit for organizing itineraries, e-readers for the beach. But one of the best leisure travel all-in-one gadgets is the ipad if you can spring for it (it gets my husband's approval!).