8 Things You Can't Teach Your Child, But Camp Can

Some key points from the book “Homesick and Happy”

· Camp is one of the last places for play, reading, writing

· Camp is a place of universally respected rituals and kids love rituals

· Camp is the last place to experience electronics-free down time

· At camp, you see a different child than at home

· Camp means letting go of your kids; if you surround your child with anxiety, you will raise an anxious child

· Children like to learn, but not be taught

· It is simply magical that camp is NOT school

· Camp friendships are so special, because of what they do for each other when their parents are NOT around

· Skill camps are too much like school; they are missing thecharacter and community building aspects of traditional camps

· The only cure for old (home) friends is new camp friends

· The hardest thing for a parent is to withstand homesickness; homesick means a child has parents and a home worth missing

· The child has to own the camp experience (it is NOT a parent-shared experience)

Michael Thompson, Ph.D. is a consultant, author and psychologist specializing in children and families. Read more about him at  www.michaelthompson-phd.com