Welcome to the Iroquois Springs Movie Theater

The overnight camp experience is filled with so many exciting and challenging activities, and Camp Iroquois Springs offers just about everything a camper could want for an incredible summer.  A typical day is packed with activities in outdoor adventure, aquatics, land sports, performing arts, fine arts, horseback riding, lacrosse & soccer clinics, kitchen stadium, skate park, and the fitness center… to name a few!!!  Campers are constantly learning new skills, challenging themselves, and discovering new interests each and every day.  We love watching our campers enthusiastically engage in all that camp has to offer. 

In all the action that happens during the camp day, we know the importance of having some down time as well.  So aside from daily rest hour, what does camp offer for campers to kick back and relax with their friends?  Welcome to the Iroquois Springs Movie Theater!  With the big screen and authentic movie theater seats, our kids love this part of camp.  Going to the movies gives us a chance to escape into another world of mystery, enchantment, and exciting places of the past and future. The movies offer a window into worlds that open the imagination and get us thinking.  Movies make us feel, react, and get excited.  It’s even more fun to share this experience with friends. 

The best part about the Iroquois Springs Movie Theater is that the film (always kid friendly) will never be interrupted by ringing cell phones or the texting of the person sitting next to you.  The theater is a great place to escape a rainy day, and an even better place to celebrate a summer birthday.  Campers that have a summer birthday get to choose the movie and have a pizza party in the theater.  A celebration that the entire bunk enjoys!  We love having the Movie Theater at camp and we know our campers feel the same way.  

Practicing Kindness

What act of kindness did you show today?  This is a question I have started asking my children when we talk about their day.  In light of recent events, like Hurricane Sandy and the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school, there has never been a more important time to demonstrate altruism and give to others without expecting anything in return.  The unselfish regard for, or devotion to the welfare of others, and has been widely demonstrated by the coming together of communities to help those in need.  From providing needed supplies to offering messages of hope and support, these acts of kindness have helped so many families and communities that are suffering, as well as benefitting those who are doing the giving.  But kindness goes even further than helping out when there is a tragedy.  Kindness is something we should all be practicing on a daily basis.  Though our lives are hectic at times, it only takes a moment to brighten someone else’s day and show that you care.

Kindness teaches empathy, builds self-esteem and increases an overall feeling of well-being.  These acts do not have to be on a grand scale, impacting the lives of many, but can be a simple gesture to one person that makes all the difference.  A great example is something I witnessed just the other day while meeting a friend of mine. As she was walking across the parking lot, I noticed her stop to help an elderly woman who was struggling to lift a shopping cart onto the curb.  It brought a smile to my face and made me appreciate my friend that much more.  I have always been a big fan of helping others, especially when it is not asked for or expected.  To know that I may be able to make someone’s day easier always makes my day better.

And I am not alone in this feeling.  Studies show that we feel happier when we perform acts of kindness.  A recent study, Kindness Counts, shows that when kids performed acts of kindness they significantly increased feelings of happiness and satisfaction.  In the New York Times article, Nice Guys Finish First, David Brooks explains, people who are kind and compassionate are usually most successful.

So how do we teach our children to look out for others and help out when they see a person in need? 

Lead by Example:  Be a role model.  Don’t just Say It…Do It!  If children see you (or any important adult in their life…teacher, camp counselor, grandparent) doing for others, they are more likely to model this behavior.  By seeing someone they trust and respect perform an act of kindness, they are more likely to feel the need to help out too.

Get involved:  The opportunities to help those in need are endless.  Teens can commit to volunteering a number of hours each month, while younger children can accompany a parent to a one-day event.  Volunteer experiences can open a young person’s eyes and hearts and make them feel empowered by being part of the solution. 

Give Praise:  Celebrate acts of kindness with words of praise and not rewards.  Knowing that you may have made a difference in someone’s life is the reward in itself.  When an act of kindness comes from the heart and not from a place of wanting something in return, it is that much more meaningful.  Let your children know how proud you are of them, and let them share their good feelings as well.

Give to Charity:  Have your family gather toys and clothing that are still in good condition but no longer being used and drop them off at a local charity.  Seeing that the belongings you no longer need are being put to good use by a family in need instills the importance of charity. 

Kindness is a lifelong skill that will be used in daily relationships at home, school, camp, and in the community.  No act of kindness is too small.  It all makes a difference!

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness” Martin Luther King Jr.

Window into the World of Camp

A parent’s concern over their child’s overnight camp experience has always been a part of the camp journey.  All parents want their children to be well taken care of, make friends, learn new skills and have the best summer possible.  Even when they know they have done the research and chosen the best camp for their child, parents may still experience some anxiety with their child being away from the nest.  It’s natural to feel this way, especially when hearing your child’s voice is typically reduced to a weekly phone call.

But wait….times have changed when it comes to parents having a connection to their campers.  In the recent past, campers and parents would communicate through the above mentioned weekly phone call, and letters sent by the good old postal service.  So much has changed in these modern times.  Though letters are still being written, campers can also receive one-way emails, no longer having to wait days to hear news from home.  And even more changes have taken place for parents who in the past had limited information to the camp life.  Not only do they have access to the camp website blogs describing various events taking place, but parents now have access to online pictures of their campers. 

It is common for camp websites to now have (password protected) photo galleries showing campers participating in all sorts of wonderful camp activities.  What may have once been exclusive to campers is now available for all families to see.  For many parents, this is a fantastic opportunity to see their child at camp and feel connected to them through photographs. They take comfort in seeing their child smiling for the camera and enjoying all that camp has to offer.  But what about the picture that does not show a happy expression? Or the camper that is not often in the pictures?  It’s very easy to misinterpret a photograph that only captures a brief moment in time.  I have had more than one friend tell me how anxious they felt waiting for their child’s camp pictures to upload each day, and how they would often sit there analyzing each picture for meaning into what their child was feeling. 

Luckily for the camper, the camp experience is the same. This is a one way technology and except for the occasional pose, campers are going about their day as usual.  So what does a parent (especially a new parent to the world of overnight camp) do to make the most of this window into the world of camp, and have it be a positive experience?  Here are some tips from both camp directors and parents:

-       1.  View with an open mind.  Know that pictures taken the first few days of camp will be very different from those taken once a child has become more familiar with friends and routines.  One friend told me she waits a few days before looking at her son’s camp web site because she knows that the longer she waits the more comfortable he will be, the more photos she will see him in, and the less worry she will experience. 

-        2.  Contact the camp with any concerns.  Don’t worry unnecessarily.  Camp staff is always available to hear your concerns and make sure everything is going well for your child.

-        3.  Trust in your camp and know that they will contact you if any issues with your child need to be addressed.  They have your child’s best interest at heart, and are invested in them having a wonderful summer. 

-        4.  When you do have the opportunity to communicate with your child…don’t make too many inquiries about things you saw in pictures…let your camper tell you all about his/her camp experience. 

-       5.   Try not to encourage your child to be included in as many camp photos as possible.  The last thing you want is for your child to be distracted from what they are doing by seeking out the camp photographer.  Let them focus on camp!  The fun they are having will be captured on film even when they aren’t aware of it.

So enjoy the pictures and appreciate the access we have into the world of camp.  We get to be a part of a place that is both amazing and life changing.  Happy viewing!

Social Networking and School Performance

We hope that you enjoyed the holidays and time off from school and work.  School vacations are a great opportunity to spend quality time together as a family.  A time to reconnect and catch up from the busy lives we lead.  With the demands of work, school, after school activities and everyday life, it’s rare that parents and children get to spend extended time together anymore.  But as great as it is, this time can also be an eye opening experience into the world of our children.  With extended time together, many parents saw firsthand the huge influence social media has on our children and the obsession that has become the norm.  Parents witnessed children who could not function without texting, Facebook , Instagram and Twitter (to name a few), in constant communication with their “friends”.  And though it seems to be okay to be “plugged in” during time off from school….what happens when students return to class and greater demands of time are being placed on them?  Is this ongoing distraction compromising our children’s school performance?

So much has been written about the emotional impact, like cyber-bullying, of social networking, but what about academic outcomes?  Does actively participating in social media impact academic performance?  Many parents express concern that the amount of time their children are spending online is affecting school performance. They say that even while studying online, their children have numerous social media sites open and are constantly checking in, when they should be focusing their attention on their homework assignments.  Teachers report that students are finding it harder to concentrate in class and seem distracted.  Time that should be spent studying is being spent on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Life experiences and face to face interactions are decreasing, and constant texting and tweeting has become a way of modern communication; often using networking chat in place of proper English. 

A study by The National Journal website reports that teachers are concerned that the amount and types of electronic media that children interact with at home may be harming their performance in the classroom.  A study at Ohio State found that Facebook users had GPA’s between 3.0 and 3.5 while non-users had GPA’s between 3.5 and 4.0.  Another study done by Common Sense Media, a think tank focused on children’s media use, also found that students’ media use hurts their attention span in school, harms their ability to interact face to face, and has a negative impact on their writing skills.  These findings are concerning, especially with the increasing demands on students today. 

There are of course some benefits of social networking sites for students, like a great communication tool to discuss assignments and projects, but it takes a conscious effort to develop efficient time management skills when it comes to separating study time and the use of social networking.   The extensive use of technology is only going to increase in the coming years, so the best we can do is to guide our children to make good media choices and help them find balance in their day between social media and other activities.  We all need to be aware and get involved, so that our children don’t become too distracted to keep up with the demands of school.  It can also be a wake-up call for parents to model responsible behavior when using social media and lessen our time “plugged in”.  If  we are encouraging homework time to be just that, and separate from social networking time, then we need to lead by example. 

I believe a round of applause goes to all the summer camps that do not allow the use of cell phones or other connections to social media (except emails that are allowed to be received from home).  Though summer camp is a time away from school work, it is still good to have a breather from all the pressures and constant distractions of social media.  Thank goodness for having face to face interactions where you see a friend’s facial expressions… sitting down to meals together… participating in activities together… having heart to heart talks during rest hour…singing songs around the camp fire… and truly connecting with the people in our lives.  Hopefully campers can bring back home with them the pleasure of focusing on something without distractions and apply it to the school year.