As you consider registering your child for the 2016 season these questions may be going through your mind.  Is my camper ready for overnight camp? What if my child gets homesick?  Will he/she find enough to eat?  These questions are normal.  Lot’s of answers can be found on our FAQ page and coming to an Open House (March 20th, April 10th, and May 7th) or scheduling a tour are great ideas to get to know the staff and make your child more comfortable when coming to camp for the first time

Kids need a safe place to try new things.  A place where they will be supported and allowed to fail, try and fail again. Camp can be that place.  Without mom or dad around to solve small problems,  children often learn self-reliance.  Through their self reliance kids develop confidence and learn more about who they are in the world.

Sometimes kids get homesick.  It is a normal thing for children to experience the uneasiness about being in a new place.  At Ferncliff our counselors are given over 100 hours of training prior to learn skills to help make campers feel comfortable at camp so they can enjoy their experience.  Many children that come to camp for the first time bring a friend with them. I did this for my first overnight camp.   I wanted to share the experience with my best friend so I invited her to join me. We had a great time and we both made other friends too.  We both went to camp for many years after that first experience.

At Ferncliff Camp our mission is to create positive change in the world by opening eyes, minds, and hearts to God’s transforming love. We strive to provide a place where campers can connect with nature, learn the importance of serve others, enjoy healthy meals, and explore their faith, and have fun.

Perhaps your child isn’t ready for overnight camp.  That’s ok, perhaps starting with day camp or family camp would be a good option.

I was skimming through  “Homesick & Happy – How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow” written by Michael Thompson, Ph. D.  It’s a book written to help parents that are considering giving their children an overnight camp experience.  To summarize one of his thoughts, “most of our worry lives within our minds. When we educate ourselves and educate our children, we often find ourselves much less anxious about the idea of an overnight camp and more excited about what the experience may give our kids:  Resilience, Independence, Confidence, Relationships, Connection with Nature/Creation, etc.

If you have any questions about camp or Ferncliff camps in particular please give us a call or shoot us an email.  We love to talk with parents and campers about the summer camp experience and what we think makes Ferncliff unique.

Blessings, Dorothy Thomas 🙂