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!!!