Parenting Tips for Planning for Summer Camp

It's January and for many that means its cold outside. Even so, it's not too early to begin planning for Summer Camp. Kids love the great outdoors and the independence they feel knowing parents trust them to be away from home for a week. For some this will be a scary event and for others long waited. Planning for Summer Camp well in advance can help assure your child will have his or her best experience possible.

School Camps

First you will have to locate the summer camp you wish to send your child too. Kids of course will be given opportunities for summer camps through school. Many schools offer band summer camps, sports summer camps, cheerleader summer camps and even Academic Summer Camps. The cost for these camps may vary and some schools even offer scholarships. Contact the school principal now with questions concerning the Summer Camps and scholarships your child's school has to offer.

Scouting

Kids may also have the opportunity to attend summer camp through their Boy Scout Troops, Girl Scouts or even the church your family attends. These summer camp trips are planned well in advance and your child may have already had to submit a letter of intend with a down payment.

As a Boy Scout Leader and a staff member of a Boy Scout Camp for the last 6 years I am most familiar with this type of Summer Camp. Many of the comments and suggestions in this article will be from that experience. Boy Scout Troop Leaders start planning for next years Summer Camp trip shortly after returning from camp. Some even go as far as making a down payment and picking their spot within the campgrounds to set up their troop next year before leaving camp. Pre-registering for the next year is helpful to the Camp Directors and staff for planning your child's next years experience.

Cost

Deciding upon which camp your child will attend the cost of the summer camp will be a major factor. There are many philanthropic agencies that will help with full or partial scholarships. All the parent has to do is submit the proper forms. Some have pre-qualifications such as low income or high academic scores. A good place to ask about such scholarships is your child's school, the local YMCA or YWCA, your child's summer camp director, a Boy Scout or Girl Scout council office, your child's group leader or your local city Parks and Recreation Department. Some churches even supply scholarships for kids attending church camps, ask the church minister or office secretary for information.

Cut the Cost with Fundraisers

Another way to pay for your kids summer camp fees is through fundraising. Within the Boy Scouts each Troop or Pack decides upon how the fundraising will be done; when, where and how much of the funds will go to each individual scout. Several Troops that I know of require the parent to pay 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost with the balance being earned during fundraisers. The annual Popcorn Sales Fundraiser is a great way for boys to earn summer camp funds as is the annual Girl Scout Cookies sale for the girls. A parent helping the child with the fundraiser by taking the child door to door or passing the order form around at work and through the family is a great way to help increase sales. This will ultimately put more funds into that kid's summer camp fund. Some kids are able to earn the entire cost of summer camp with the annual fundraiser. For others alternate fundraisers are needed such as car washes, pancake breakfast feeds, spaghetti dinners, bake sales, etc. Each of these fundraisers should be planned, organized and approved by the group's leaders and council. The best way to help your child with his or her summer camp experience ahead of time is to advertise, attend and support the fundraisers needed to earn the money for camp and to make sure that your child attends and participates in these fundraisers. There is no better way to be left behind than to agree to and then not participate in the fundraisers or have a parent say, "I'm sorry, we just can't afford it this year". Utilize the scholarships and fundraisers that are available to help with the cost of summer camp if needed, and start early. If you are one that has no financial worries then consider donating the partial cost or full cost of one child's camping experience to your church, local Y, Boy Scout or Girl Scout organization. Most of these contributions are tax deductible.

Supplies

Now that the cost of attending camp has been established you will need to inventory what supplies will be needed for your child to attend. If your child will be attending an Academic Summer Camp or an indoor summer camp supplies may be as simple as clothing, a camera and some extra funds for outings or the Trading Post. If your child is attending a specialty camp such as cheerleading or band camp or a sports related camp your first question should be, "What special supplies will my child need?". You may need to start purchasing these supplies now depending on the cost or availability in your area. The same applies when attending a Boy Scout or Girl Scout Camp. With the Boy Scout Camp I am familiar with many Troop Leaders ask the boys to supply their own tents, sleeping bags and cooking supplies as well as personal items. Other troops have these supplies in their Troop Inventory and individual boys need not supply them.

Uniforms

At Boy Scout camp the boys may be asked to wear their class A uniforms at every dinner meal in the mess hall. If you have not yet purchased a complete class A uniform for your child now is the time to start. If the cost of a new uniform is beyond your means you should ask around at the Scout meetings for used uniforms that may have been outgrown. Uniforms can also be found on Ebay, freecycle and in local thrift shops. Ask your child's leader about including the cost of a new uniform in his or her fundraising budget. Just remember that your child will have to participate in these fundraisers to earn the extra funds needed. Some leaders may even know of other resources for uniform supplies. One group I know of used to stock a closet that is made available to all new incoming scouts and as an exchange closet for those that are outgrowing the current uniform. One Troop or Pack may be willing to help out another, just ask.

Proper Clothing and Bedding

It never fails that by day 3 of summer camp we are noticing boys that are sockless or wearing shoes that are inadequate for the best camping experience. I have even seen boys attend with no sleeping bag at all or attend a fall campout with just a sheet. Parents, please supervise your child's camp packing experience. Kids love wearing sandals in the summer. If your child's summer camp experience will be in the great outdoors sandals are probably not the best choice. A fun discovery hike can be treacherous in sandals or flip-flops or in heavy boots with no socks. I can't count how many times a boy has opted not to participate in a fun activity because of severe blisters on the feet. This is no way to spend a week in the outdoors. If a child is to be at camp for 7 days pack 10 pairs of socks at the least. It is inevitable, it may rain. Those wet feet need aired out immediately with fresh, clean socks. Remind your child to place his or her shoes just inside the tent. Morning dew can be pretty heavy depending on the time of the year and make for wet shoes left outside the tent. Well ahead of time sit down with your child and go over the camp supplies list he or she will be given. Some lists are basic or generic and you may feel it necessary to add to the list, please do. Others are specific and items called for may be shared among the group. Discuss any concerns you have with the list before hand with your child's leader and your child.

Over the Counter and Prescription Medications

If your child is prone to sunburn please include extra sun blocker and instruct your child on when and how often to use it. Most summer camps have a medic on staff but summer camp is no fun if it's spent in the health lodge with a severe sun burn. Medications are a very important factor when planning for a summer camp trip. If your child is on a regular medication be sure his or her prescription is sufficient for time at camp and upon return. Send your child to camp with his or her medication in its original bottle. This is a must. Include written instructions if necessary. It doesn't matter how old, grown-up or mature you feel your child is. Don't take chances with miscommunication when it comes to medication. At the Boy Scout Camp I attend each year the child is required to turn in all medications with the staff health lodge director unless there is a written note for the child to keep medication on his or her person at all times, such as with an asthma inhaler. This is not only for your child's safety but for the other attendants as well. Our camp has been known to have a sudden storm with tents blown all over the place. The medications are safe in the health lodge creating one less worry for the parents, staff and children.

Fears

If your child has a severe phobia please let the group leader know so this can be shared during the camp staff /leaders meeting. I'm told of a young man who choked a leader because of a severe fear of thunderstorms. Many young men are bigger than some of the leaders and strength is much greater. This child was out of control due to his extreme fear and precautions could have been taken to help ease his fears during the thunderstorm IF the leaders had known of his condition. Your child's personality quirks are what make him or her unique & the simple act of sharing these quirks during a private conversation with his or her leader will ensure your child will have a safe and fun experience. Discuss these traits with your child to decide if the whole group will know or if this will be a private matter between parent, child and adults. Your child's leader and the summer camp staff wants you and your child to feel safe and comfortable so that your child will have the best experience possible. Communication is a key element to this happening.

Dealing With the Homesick Child or Parent

If this year will be your child's first summer camp experience another subject that should be addressed is homesickness. Being away from home for an entire week can be a lot of fun for many kids but for some it can be a trying and even traumatic experience if not handled properly. Of course you know your child and you will be the best judge of how he or she will handle being away from home. Some camps give children access to a phone for emergency purposes only or for preplanned times to call home. Some have payphones available for the child to use at any time. You may want to send a prepaid phone card to camp with your child. In this era of technology many older kids may have their cell phones with them. Talk to your child before camp and assure him or her that you will be available to pick-up and bring the child home if necessary. If this avenue is not possible due to distance make other plans with your child to help set the child's mind at ease. Planning for unexpected events in advance so that your child will know where to go or who to contact in the case of an emergency will eliminate possible problems if an emergency situation should arise. Go over discipline and behavior that is expected of the child at this time also. Your camp brochure should have specific behavior that is allowed and not allowed. Remind the child of this and let him or her know you expect them to behave accordingly while at camp. Many parents find summer camp to be a trying experience. A parent of an only child or a sickly child may find having the child away for a week hard to deal with. Try to remember that this is a fun time for your child. Don't call "Johnny" several times a day just to ask "How are you doing?" This constant contact is disruptive to your child's camping experience and can bring on a case of homesickness when the child would have otherwise been fine. If you do have a pre-planned time to call or receive a call each day please try your best to be available. For some just hearing mom or dads voice once a day or midweek can be enough to get the otherwise homesick child through the week without any tears or anxiety. A parent that has never been away from his or her child before should plan activities for the summer camp week to keep busy. A call to the camp counselor just to check up on your child, but not speak to your child, is usually welcomed. Ask beforehand about the possibility of a parent visit midweek or establishing a frequent preplanned phone call schedule.

What Not To Take

Now that we have covered the things needed to plan and attend summer camp we should cover the items your child should NOT bring to summer camp. Many kids receive electronic gadgets for Christmas or their Birthdays. These items should NOT be taken to summer camp. Examples would include Gameboys, Ipods, MP3 Players and other assorted electronic handhelds. These items are disruptive to the child's summer camp experience especially if the child is expected to participate fully in all activities. As parents well know children loose things and misplacing an expensive electronic gadget at summer camp is a possibility. Many camps will not be responsible for lost or stolen items. At the camp I volunteer for the lost and found box is inevitably full by the end of the week. Many items are never asked for or owners are not found as some campers leave before the last camp fire. If an item is too valuable to chance losing it should not be taken. Many parents even supply their child with disposable cameras for summer camp so as not to chance losing the good camera. Please use your best judgment and follow the camps rule considering this matter.

Summer camp can be a fun and enjoyable as well as an educational experience. It is my hope that this article will help you and your child have the best summer camp experience possible.