Everything Summer Blog

Making the Most of Camp Reunions

Ahh the holidays. Amidst the scramble of sports schedules, school projects, school concerts and term papers, many summer camps schedule reunions around the holiday season. These provide a few days to relax and unwind and think about a more carefree (and warmer)-- summer. 

Whether your child's reunion is scheduled by the camp or an informal one put together by parents and their children, there are huge benefits to these get-togethers. Reunions get children excited for the upcoming summer, and they allow anyone feeling social or academic stress at home to return to a carefree camp mode. Given the competitive atmosphere which pervades academics and sports these days, many kids are happy to unwind and see summer friends with whom they have a deep connection. They recharge and are ready to face new challenges knowing that they have special friends who will always be there for them.

Camp reunions make the long wait for summer seem a little shorter. For children who become anxious about homesickness or other issues, reunions can remind them why they enjoyed camp so much and allay some anxiety. Sometimes, a group of boys or girls reminiscing about the summer will bring to the surface some issues that came up at camp that parents may never have heard about before. Once the reunion is over, question your child casually, and if you feel that anything needs to be brought to the attention of the camp directors, definitely let them know. If the directors can avoid issues going forward, they will be more than happy to do so!

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.

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!).

Crackdown on Bad Foods

The New York Times published the article, A Crackdown On Bake Sales in City Schools. Mayor Bloomberg is helping institutions and parents better manage the sugar and trans fat intake of students.

I think this is very smart. Children's obesity and resulting health issues associated with this are at an all-time high, that widespread measures are necessary. Camps have been demonstrating better management of foods and drinks for years. Parents marvel each summer when kids return home slimmer, more active and craving better foods. Ongoing fitness and outdoor activity play important parts here as well.