Happy New Year 2014

The New Year is quickly approaching, and for many of us it brings the excitement of a fresh start.  A time to think about what we want in 2014, and the goals that will get us there. If you have yet to come up with a New Year’s resolution, here is a great one…”For the coming year, I will be more like an Iroquois Springs camper”.  Summer camp plays an important role in a young person’s development and the outcome of the summer camp experience produces some pretty incredible people worth aspiring to. Though every camper has their own unique personality, there are some amazing qualities that shine through in all our camp family.  

Campers challenge themselves.  The camp day is filled with activities and adventures that may seem difficult at first, but with support and encouragement campers face their fears and accomplish amazing things.  Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You must do the thing which you think you cannot do”.  At camp, obstacles become an opportunity for personal growth.  

Campers have empathy.  Living together as a close knit family, campers come to be thoughtful of one another’s feelings and develop the trust to talk things out in a productive manner.  Camp teaches us to listen without judgment and gain an understanding of what the next person may be experiencing.  

Campers have fun and get silly.  Life can be so busy at times that we forget to a step back from it all and just laugh. Campers are free of being “plugged in” and overscheduled, and have the summer to relax, laugh, get a bit silly, and enjoy the moment.  

Campers have confidence.  Campers are given the freedom and independence to make appropriate decisions on their own, and in turn believe in themselves and their abilities.  Choosing what to wear or what to eat for lunch may seem insignificant but can be empowering and a real confidence booster.  Research shows that a healthy self-esteem can help develop resilience, giving campers the strength to tackle problems head on.  

Campers have great interpersonal skills.  Camp teaches us to listen to one another and cooperate, even if we don’t share the same views.  Interpersonal skills are always being developed and in turn personal relationships are strengthened and more rewarding. 

Campers know teamwork.  Teamwork requires campers to work cooperatively with each other toward a shared purpose.  Campers work together in everything from sports strategies, to building a fire for the rope burn during Color War. Teamwork is a highly social activity that involves interaction and exchanging of ideas, leading to another great quality.  

Campers use critical thinking. This higher level thinking involves in depth discussions and allows for multiple responses and interpretations.  Critical thinking is a valuable skill that will prepare campers for future success. 

So get out there and be more like an Iroquois Springs camper…challenge yourself, care about others, get silly, gain confidence, develop strong relationships, be a part of a team, and use critical thinking.  All of these qualities can make life happier, healthier and much more rewarding.  What could be better for the New Year?

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy and completely amazing New Year!!!!

Healthy Eating

It has been shown that families who eat together are healthier and happier.  Meals together are a time to relax, recharge, share, laugh and connect with one another.  But for many families, planning meal time can be quite stressful.  Families today have hectic schedules, with limited time for sit down meals.    Gathering everybody for an evening meal can be close to impossible. Now add to that the issue of good nutrition and getting kids to eat a well balanced meal, and the family meal just got a bit more challenging.  Though the food choices may be plentiful, some kids are extremely limited in what they will eat, often making meal time unpleasant.  The good news is that when you do find the time to eat together, family meals can be both nutritious and the perfect time to expand the list of foods the whole family will enjoy. So regardless of how often your family can manage to sit down together, make it successful by following these tips that experts in the field of health and nutrition recommend… 

-Serve regular balanced meals.

-Allow children to decide what and how much they want to eat (to eliminate any power struggle).

-Provide a pleasant environment to talk and be together. 

-Expose kids to foods numerous times.  The more the food is available, the more likely the child will try it.

-Role Model healthy eating by trying new foods.

-Include kids in the planning and cooking of meals.

This last tip is especially important for families with picky eaters.  When kids participate in the preparation of the meal they are more likely to try it.  Involvement gives kids some control in what they are eating.  Christine Mastrangelo, RD, says “Children feel important when they are asked to pitch in, and because they take pride in the finished product, they’re more likely to have an open mind about eating it”. 

These suggestions to help make meal time both nutritious and successful are consistently taking place at camp.  Meal time is a time for campers to refuel and reconnect, and is an important part of our camp routine.  The dining hall is filled with a variety of nutritious foods that campers can choose from.  They are given the independence to choose the foods they enjoy and are encouraged to try new things in a positive way by having other campers and counselors role model healthy eating.  Being able to make choices often results in campers trying foods and more than often going home with a new item on their list of foods they enjoy.  Meals at camp are pleasant because we are all together.  Meal times are about eating, sharing, singing and lots of laughs.  And when it comes to including kids in the kitchen, Kitchen Stadium is a great place where campers make decisions about recipes they want to create, are hands on with preparing them, and of course, enjoy eating the finished product.  Camp will always be a place where our camp family gathers to have a positive eating experience.

We wish you all enjoyable family meals as you reconnect and stay healthy!

Traditions and Rituals

The holidays are upon us, and so is the time to follow family customs and traditions as we celebrate and enjoy this time of year.  It may be making latkes for Chanukah, decorating the tree for Christmas, going ice skating in Central Park, or watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve….whatever the event, having traditions creates a foundation of strong family bonds and a lifetime of memories.

And traditions go way beyond holiday celebrations; anything you do to create routine will benefit your family.  Studies show that routines, rituals and traditions are good for peoples physical and mental well being.  Family rituals give children a sense of belonging, enhance identity, and build powerful interpersonal connections.

“Children love rituals”, says Martin V. Cohen, Ph. D., associate director of the Marital and Family Therapy Clinic at New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center.  “Children find a certain security and solace in something that gives a sense of belonging and comfort.  Kids find rituals fascinating – artistically, spiritually, and emotionally”.  

Traditions that are established early on in life will most likely be remembered and carried on through the generations.  These rituals don’t have to be time-consuming or expensive to have a great impact, just as long as they are enjoyable, meaningful and bond the family together.  Children will remember and look forward to family events like going pumpkin picking every Fall, Thanksgiving dinner at grandma’s house, family vacations, or simply making pancakes with dad every Sunday morning.

And when it comes to creating traditions, there is no place like camp.  Summer camp is chock-full of special traditions that campers and staff look forward to all year, and are remembered for a lifetime.    The Iroquois Springs traditions give us a sense of belonging because we enjoy them together as a camp family.  The Order of Blue & Gold, Fuzzies at evening line-up, Smores around the campfire, Sing, Project Morry Swim-A-Thon, Extreme Canteen, Boys Football Tailgate, Rope Burn, July 4th Fireworks, the Camp Reunion….all of these events (just to name a few) are camp traditions that mean so much to our camp family.  They bond us and keep us connected both at camp and throughout the year.

Think about the rituals you have with your family, and know that even the simplest of routines brings something positive and beneficial to your lives.  A tradition is anything you look forward to as a family.  It’s a commitment to one another to spend time together doing something enjoyable, that will be remembered for a lifetime.  Why not start a new tradition this holiday season…it may be something that continues on for
generations to come.  Happy Holidays!!!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  It’s a time to gather with family and friends, watch the parade, eat great food, and take time off from the usual routine of homework and after school activities.  It is also the time of year that many of us turn our attention to what we are thankful for.   I always look forward to our family tradition of going around the dinner table and stating what we are most thankful for.  From the simple appreciation of a great cup of coffee in the morning, to finally getting the puppy the kids have been asking for, to the true gratitude of being a part of the Iroquois Springs family, we take a moment to share our thankfulness for all that we have.  It’s amazing to hear how the lists change from year to year as the kids get older and life brings us new challenges and opportunities.  Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California at Davis, has termed “positive psychology”.  Emmons research has found that those who adopt an “attitude of gratitude” as a permanent state of mind experience many health benefits like taking better care of themselves, having improved mental alertness, and having  stronger immune systems.

Studies also show that people who express gratitude are happier, more empathetic, and more willing to help others.  So, when a friend forwarded me an email about families helping families by donating a Thanksgiving Day basket to those who are less fortunate, we decided to be a part of this special event.  I wanted to extend our expressed thankfulness to an act of paying it forward and giving back.  We shopped for the suggested groceries and supplies, created a wonderful basket, and hand delivered it to a family in need.  The kids felt really good about helping create a more enjoyable Thanksgiving for another family.

The abundance of volunteer opportunities, especially as the holidays approach, is awe-inspiring. Do a Google search on “Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities” and the results are endless.   With all of the meaningful ways families can help give back, there is something for everyone.  Donate a turkey, help prepare and deliver nutritious meals, grab your running shoes and sign up for a turkey trot fundraiser, donate a warm coat to a homeless shelter, bring canned goods to a local food drive, or lead a holiday arts and crafts project at a community center.   Whatever it is that you decide to volunteer for, however small or grand the gesture, the feeling it will give is invaluable.  It will be something your kids will look back on and feel really good about. They will know they made a difference.

“Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting” Author Unknown

Perseverance and Success

There is a famous expression: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!  In other words, when the situation becomes difficult, the strong will work harder to meet the challenge. The trait that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult is the definition of Perseverance.  Perseverance may determine our chances of success more than any other single characteristic, and is essential to accomplishing what you want in life.  As children, many of us learned about perseverance from the classic children’s book The Little Engine that Could, about a little steam engine that had the determination to pull a long train of cars up a steep hill, despite how difficult it was.  

The little engine never gave up and kept repeating “I think I can, I think I can”.  He was practicing perseverance, finishing what he started, even when faced with a difficult situation.  Parent’s magazine, Marie Faust Evitt feels that one way to foster a “can do” attitude is to help your child learn to set goals and meet them one small step at a time.  When kids develop positive attitudes toward challenges, they learn to believe in themselves and what they can accomplish. 

Psychologist, Angela Lee Ducksworth, uses the word Grit to describe perseverance. “Grit is passion and an unflagging commitment to a long term goal.  Grit is living life like it is a marathon and not a sprint”.  Through extensive research, Ducksworth has found that more than IQ or talent or any other factor, Grit is the #1 predictor of a person’s success. Parenting expert, Dr. Michele Borba, believes that perseverance is often the critical distinction between whether kids succeed or fail.  Children who learn to bounce back and not let setbacks get them down have gained a valuable skill for life.  After thousands of efforts to make the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison said “I haven’t failed, I’ve identified 10,000 ways that it doesn’t work”.  Failure occurs only when we quit or stop trying.

Summer camp is a setting where perseverance is encouraged and practiced each and every day, as campers take on challenges and set personal goals.  Campers are often introduced to activities that are new to them, and mastering these activities takes time and determination. Campers may want to learn to water ski, make it to the top of the climbing wall, improve skills on the lacrosse field, or overcome fears by performing in the theatre production.  Camp is a great place to set goals, and practice skills in a safe and supportive environment.  It’s always rewarding to watch campers overcome obstacles through hard work and perseverance. 

To inspire the importance of hard work and perseverance all year long, it’s helpful to:

Set Goals:  Having goals keeps kids engaged as they learn new skills and overcome obstacles.

Break the goal down: One step at a time will help a child feel less overwhelmed.

Encourage and Reward Practice: Encourage and reward the effort and practice more than the accomplishment.

Offer Support:  Achieving goals is challenging and can be emotionally charged, make sure to listen and support all efforts made.

And as Winston Churchill said “Never Give Up”!

Keeping Fit In The Winter Months

Summer camp is packed with fun and challenging physical activities.  A variety of sports, games and events keep us moving and feeling great. But what happens during the school year, when the weather gets cooler, the days get shorter and we are limited in the number of outdoor activities we can engage in?  If you live in the Northeast, and spent any time outside this weekend, you probably felt a chill in the air and were faced with the reality that winter is quickly approaching.  The cold weather may be invigorating to some, but tends to create  The availability of fewer outdoor activities, along with the desire to hibernate during the winter months can negatively impact our health.  Physical activity is important year round, especially in children and teens.  Research shows that kids who are physically fit are academically motivated, alert and successful.  When kids engage in regular exercise, they build endurance, strength and flexibility.  Regular exercise also helps kids develop stronger muscles and bones, control weight, decrease the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, sleep better, and have a better outlook on life.  Overall, exercise is important to good health, and gives kids an advantage to better handle physical and emotional challenges. 

Let’s remember all the great things Tara “Fitness” talks about and teaches us all summer long – then implement them in the winter months.  Between the early morning fitness classes and her regular activity classes in the fitness center, we get a terrific workout all summer long.  Whether in the fitness studio doing things like core conditioning, kick boxing or agility training, or spinning in the spin studio, or lifting weights in the weight room, these are all great things to do all winter long to keep us fit. 

Kidshealth.org reports that the percentage of overweight and obese kids and teens has more than doubled in the past 30 years.  And according to Healthychildren.org, only half of children and teens ages 12-21 exercise regularly, more than 15% of all school children are considered obese or overweight, and approximately 7% of children who are obese suffer from sleep apnea.  Factors like spending too much time in front of the television, video games and online,  greater academic demands, busy family lives, and increased portion sizes in restaurants, all contribute to the these findings.  But whatever the reason, it’s important to keep kids moving and in good health. 

The National Association for Sports and Physical Education recommends that all children should exercise for at least one hour a day.  We all need to encourage kids to make the time and effort to do some form of exercise that they enjoy. Here are some great ways to motivate kids, and the entire family, to exercise and stay healthy:

Establish a regular schedule for physical activity – Find the time that works best for your family, and sign up for an after school sport, after homework dance class, or after dinner walk with the dog.  Kids are more likely to stick with activities that become a part of their daily routine.

Make it Interesting – Mix it up by suggesting a variety of physical activities to participate in.  Be spontaneous and keep kids enthusiastic.  If the weather is on the mild side, grab the kids and take a hike.  On snowy days, get outside and build a snowman.

Keep a Record – Keep track of everyone’s progress.  Having a visual of activities kids have engaged in is a perfect way for them to feel accomplished and successful, as well as a great motivator for setting future exercise goals. 

Get involved in Community – Find a cause that is near and dear to your heart and sign the family up for a 5K walk/run.  It’s a great way to exercise and feel terrific about giving back to local charities and communities in need. 

Let it Snow – When the first snowfall hits, grab the kids and their snow gear and head to the nearest hill for a day of sledding.  It’s a fantastic way to connect with friends and neighbors, have fun and get great exercise.

Plug in to Healthy Videos – Put on video games that require movement.  Get moving to a dance video, sports challenge, or just jamming in a family rock band.  Its quality family time that will definitely make you sweat.

Be a Positive Role Model – Limit your own texting and social media time and embrace an active lifestyle.  Studies show that active lifestyles learned as children are much more likely to stay with a person into adulthood.  Lead by example.

So keep moving, keep it fun, and keep kids active all year long!

Josh Bogard Finishes the NYC Marathon

Congratulations to Josh, our Boys Head Counselor, for finishing his second NYC Marathon on Sunday.  What an amazing accomplishment, and we are all so proud of you.

Josh inspires us all throughout the summer with his dedication, hard work and can do attitude. Watching him compete and work hard in training to complete this wonderful personal accomplishment is truly inspiring as well.




Congrats to Josh for a job well done!!!!!

Get some rest, and starting training for another awesome summer together at Iroquois Springs.

Friends, Friends, Friends....we will always be........

I asked a group of fourth and fifth grade students how they would describe a FRIEND!   The list of qualities they came up with was pretty impressive.  They thought a friend should be “thoughtful, considerate, trustworthy, honest, supportive, accepting, have similar interests, and of course someone fun to be around”.  They definitely encapsulated what being a friend is all about.  And no matter what your age, having friends is an important part of living a happy life.  Research shows that friendship is vital for well being, and can have a major impact on overall health.  The Mayo Clinic finds that friends can increase ones sense of belonging and purpose, boost happiness, reduce stress, improve self-worth, and help one cope better in bad times.  And when it comes to friends, there is no better place to develop true friendships than SUMMERCAMP!!!  Camp friends are friends for life.  Camp friends know us as we are, and accept us for who we   Being away from family, and surrounded by peers, gives campers a wonderful opportunity to develop deep and lasting friendships.  Camp friends see us through the day to day, encourage us to take on new challenges, make us feel a sense of belonging, help us through the tough times and most importantly make us laugh.

On December 8^th we will be celebrating our summer friendships at the Iroquois Springs Camp Reunion at New Roc City in New Rochelle.  We are so excited to see our summer family and watch friends get together, catch up, and reminisce about wonderful camp days.  Camp friends have been staying in touch through social networking and texting, but seeing one another in person and being able to talk face to face is priceless.   It’s the warmth of a hug hello, sitting side by side, sharing news and remembering the good times of summer. And after the reunion is over, campers bring home a piece of summer with their bunk pictures and a reunion video re-cap and DVD of the summer. 

We look forward to seeing the campers and staff that are able to attend and will certainly miss those that can’t make it.  But even if you can’t attend the reunion, the summer will be here before we know it and we will be with all our camp family once again.  See you all soon!

“Many people will walk in and out of your life; but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”   Eleanor Roosevelt

Camp and Creativity

Creativity is the most unrestricted form of self-expression.  The ability to create something from personal feelings and experiences can reflect and nurture children’s emotional health.   Creative experiences can help children express and cope with their feelings.  Creativity also fosters growth by providing opportunities for trying new ideas, and new ways of thinking and problem solving. 

When we think of activities that encourage creativity, we often think of artistic endeavors.  While the arts and music are definite creative outlets, creativity is also found in science and play.  Creativity is about generating outcomes that are original and of value.  Creativity focuses on the process of forming original ideas through exploration and discovery.  According to Carolina A. Miranda of Parenting.com, “divergent thinking is an essential part of everyday life, whether it’s navigating office politics or devising a new social-media network”. 

Howard E. Gardner, professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard University considers creativity one of the five “minds” or ways of thinking – along with discipline, synthesis, respect, and ethics – that will be essential for young people to succeed in the future.  In today’s world, children are at a disadvantage when it comes to engaging in the creative process.   Games and activities that were once based on imaginative thinking now have step by step instructions on what the outcome should look like.  Take a box of Lego’s for example.  What was once a container of interlocking blocks to design whatever the imagination could dream up, now has clear cut instructions on how and what to build, taking away from the creative process.  Mark Runco, PhD, Director of the University of Georgia’s Torrence Center for Creativity and Talent Development believes we all have creative potential.  “Our job as parents and teachers is to help kids fulfill it”.  At Iroquois Springs we offer a variety of opportunities for children to develop their creative and critical thinking potential by providing a wide range of creative materials and experiences.

Camp exposes children to creative work by providing at atmosphere in which unique and creative work is valued.  U-Build-It is a great example of a program we offer that allows kids to be creative and use their imagination.  Campers use critical thinking when making Penny Boats out of tinfoil and discover just how many pennies they could load onto the boat while keeping it afloat.  Campers come up with creative solutions when participating in the Egg Drop, as they work together to figure out the best engineering to prevent the egg from cracking.  We take old computers, deconstruct them, and create Model Robots.  These activities, along with woodworking, wearable art, kitchen stadium, rock band, digital media, film, rocketry and performing arts all allow our campers to express their creative sides. 

Camp encourages kids to use creative thinking, and creative thinking skills are essential for success in learning and success in life. Developing the capacity to be creative can enrich lives and help children to contribute to a better society.