What The World Needs From Us

Seth Godin (if you haven't read his blog, you should) was a keynote at this year's ACA Tri-State Camping Conference in Atlantic City. Travis Allison, of CampHacker.org, recently uploaded a brief video interview from the conference floor. I'm a big fan of Seth's work, and was especially thrilled when I found out he was a camp person. During the interview Seth chats with Travis about his experiences at camp. This part stands out:

"I learned so much at camp about what our world needs from us. When camps are at their best, what they do is create 'linchpins'. They're not about top-down authority. They're not about doing what someone did yesterday, but a little faster. They're not about doing well on the standardized test. They're about becoming that person, being someone we would miss if you were gone. And then suddenly we get to the workplace and we're brainwashed into doing the opposite. That worked great in 1920, 30, and 40 when factories ruled the earth, but those people are under stress now. The people who are thriving, and who are succeeding, are the ones who are acting like they're at camp."

Camp shows us what the world needs from us. That's perfect. :)

And Then They Grow Up

Folks involved in the camping world talk a lot about the many ways that summer camp is good for kids. It makes sense to call attention to the immediate benefits of a summer spent at camp - from an increase in confidence and independence, to the ability to make and keep good friends - since these are the things we notice right away. As good as these things are, however, there's more to the benefits of a summer at camp than changes you can see today - there are seeds that get planted that often take root after the summer's over, and those are exciting, too!

Recently I came across a web page at OurKids.net, a Canadian publishing company that maintains a number of digital and print publications focused on families. Their summer camp section is wonderful, with dozens of great articles and resources for families considering a summer at camp for their child.

One page, called Summer Camp Alumni: From Campers to Role Models, was particularly fascinating. It highlights a number of adult professionals who attended camp as children. Each provides a brief bio and description of how their experiences at camp shaped their lives as adults. It's well worth the read, and important because it does a great job of showing how summer camp changes lives going forward. Here's an excerpt from singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb's entry:

"Summer camp introduces kids to challenges, which strengthen their character, let's kids feel safe in an independent environment with different leaders and friends, but no parents. Summer camp often forces kids to be outside and even in the water a lot more than they might normally, and being outside makes you feel more connected to the earth and to people, instead of your computer and TV. Camp made me feel more confident in just being myself, even if I wasn't like everyone else all the time."

Those of you considering camp for the first time will enjoy reading about the way a summer camp experience changed these adults' lives. Long-time camp families will enjoy learning that their hopes and expectations for their child at camp are well-founded - and factual!

There's more to summer camp than what happens day-to-day in the present. Summer camp changes lives for the better well into the future, too!

Someone Else's Words

I spend a lot of time traveling and talking about Camp Mason. My slide show has dozens of pictures of happy campers, and I have a great time telling our camp's story to families from Hardwick to New York City to Philadelphia. It's one of my favorite things to do, but I also like to hear what other folks are saying about camp. It's always good to hear that a summer camp experience has changed a life, or helped someone make a lifelong friend, or is generally thought of as an essential part of growing up. I set aside time each week to look for folks who write about camp, because as a parent I know that I like to hear more than one perspective when it comes to sending my children away from home for the summer - even as a camp director!

Hubpages is an online site that allows people to publish and share their thoughts easily. It's a community of shared interests, and the people who write there are mostly regular folks, like you and me. Member ColeenB is an SEO specialist and mom who wrote an article about why summer camp is good for kids. It's great! Here's a few excerpts:

"Parents who worry about how their children are growing will be able to benefit greatly from summer camps. The child will be able to get in touch with nature and learn about themselves as well."

"One of the biggest benefits of summer camp is making new friends. In fact, most of these kids will stay in touch with each other even when they are not at camp. The lifelong bond can be strong when a child finds someone that understands them and acts as a good influence on them. Being able to get along with others and enjoying their company will benefit your kids throughout their lives."

"Learning to be away from home is one of the very hardest lessons that kids face. The first couple of days may be hard, but as time goes by it will be easier to settle in and learn some independence. Again, these skills are essential to having a well-rounded child who knows what to do when they are on their own." 

You can read the rest of the article here: Why Summer Camp Is Good For Kids

The benefits of summer camp are simple, but profound. Families around the country - and around the world - send their kids to camp each summer to learn how to be their best selves, live well, and make friends. Those of us who work in camping are proud of the work we do each summer, and grateful for the support of our own community of shared interests - the summer camp community!

Letters From Campers

I'm a sucker for anyone who references Mark Twain - he's a hero of mine. I recently read an article over on the ACA's Camp Parents site that caught my eye with the opening sentence:"Huck Finn enjoyed a rare opportunity to attend his funeral and hear what folks had to say about him after he faked his death..."  The article is titled After the Deluge - Letters From My Campers, and it's written by Stephen Wallace, a long-time camping professional and school psychologist. You can learn more about him at the end of the article or at his website, but it seems that Mr. Wallace experienced some medical challenges recently that gave him time to reflect on his work at camp. In his words, "I have a pile of letters stocked away in a nearby file drawer that demonstrate to camp directors and convince counselors that informal mentors, such as those who work at camp, are enormously powerful forces in the lives of their mentees."  I'm happy to hear that Stephen is on the road to recovery, and would like to share with you excerpts of some of the letters from campers he received during his convalescence. From the article:

I can't even begin to explain how much the program means to me. Primarily, it means family and togetherness. After that comes leadership. I don't think anybody can truly be a strong leader without a strong support system to keep them going. And that's exactly what the program is.  — Julie

To me, the program presents the chance to free myself from childhood and take steps into adulthood. I can become a more influential person in society through teaching and being a role model.  — Adam

Over the past four years, I have gained knowledge I normally would not be able to experience elsewhere. I have made lifelong friends, learned how to accept others, and have gained so much confidence. The opportunities offered at camp are unique and special. Camp has helped me to grow as a person.  — Tara

It's easy for the adults in the summer camp equation to become distracted. Camping professionals get caught up in the day-to-day reality of marketing, planning, and running their programs. Camp parents are busy managing schedules, finances, and preparation for sending their children to camp. All of us are peppered from every side by life's deal-with-it-now details, every one of them clamoring for our attention and time. I'm grateful that Stephen decided to share his letters in this article. It made me stop and look for my own, and then I went looking for the letters my son wrote to me during his first summer at camp. These words warm my heart and remind me that the work we do is important. Not that it needs repeating - though it certainly deserves repeating - camp is good for kids!

A Dad's Point of View

An old standby in the camping business is that Mom is the person to whom we're selling our product, and by and large it seems to be true. I know that most of my interactions with parents here at Camp Mason include contact with mothers and grandmothers - and that's ok! As a father myself, however, it's nice to hear from other dads about their experience with sending their kids to camp. My daughter announced to me this year that she's ready to attend a full week, and my son has been going for years. I know how I feel about their time away from home, but an article I found at campparents.org provided a fresh perspective.

Mike Roth is an information security specialist who wrote a great little article about visiting his daughter at camp. It's called Visiting Day from a Father's Perspective, and in it he very simply and thoughtfully outlines what he saw when he visited his daughter after three weeks at sleepaway camp. Towards the end he writes:

"Most of all, it was great to see our young girl maturing in front of our eyes. After only three weeks away, she was far more confident and sure of herself. Her counselors were from New Zealand and Mexico, so she got a view of other parts of the world, learned about other cultures, and is now excited to explore what the world has to offer. It has been a transformative experience for her, and we couldn't be happier."

Camp is good for kids! It helps them to grow in so many important ways. Camp teaches kids about the world, and helps them learn to be independent and self-aware. At camp kids learn to care for themselves and others. Whether you're a mom, dad, or grandparent, there's no denying that camp is a good place for kids. Maybe even the best!

Take a few minutes to visit the Camp Parents site and read the rest of Mike's article - it'll remind you of why we all work so hard to support the camps we love.