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Posts tagged under Camp. Show all posts.
Summer Childcare Questions
Once you’ve selected which childcare option you’re going to use for the summer, you need to research the local providers. Asking the right questions will guide your decision, so here are some thoughts.
First, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the childcare provider have the qualifications, skills, and personality I feel that my child needs?
- Is this a safe, healthy and clean childcare environment?
- What activities will my child do on a regular basis? Can parents give input into what is done during the day?
If time permits, visit the childcare centre, daycare, or summer camp location and discuss your expectations with the potential childcare provider, and always check references before deciding which service to use. Good quality childcare providers support the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of children in their care.
Secondly, ask the childcare provider these questions:For a Nanny/Au Pair
- Do they have an up-to-date background check? Are they willing to be interviewed by you beforehand?
- What are their available hours? What wage do they expect? Ask them to sign a written contract with you stating the hours, wage, and duties.
- Are they taking any vacations or time off over the summer?
- Are they comfortable with taking your children swimming and do they have any Red Cross qualifications for water safety?
As the parent, lead the nanny/au pair in what you’d like your child to do this summer—don’t just leave it up to the caregiver. Discuss your expectations with your caregiver, and then let he/she tell you what they have planned in order to establish open communications right away.
For a Childcare Centre or Summer Camp
- What is the staff-to-child ratio? Will your child receive the attention and care you expect?
- How does the centre or camp hire staff? Are there volunteers? How many?
- What emergency procedures are in place? Are these communicated to the child(ren)?
- What are the pick-up and drop-off times? Is there a late fee for late pick-ups?
- What does a typical day look like for my child?
Taking the time to thoroughly research your options will set your child up for a fun and memorable summer.
Surviving Summer Camp
If you have decided that summer camp makes sense for your family, here are some tips to set your kids up for success:
- Decide your expectations and state them clearly to your child. If you don’t care whether he goes for one day and then skips the rest, that’s fine. If your plan is for him to attend every day, make that very clear and follow through.
- Be sure to read the instructions ahead of time and work with your child to be sure she has everything she needs.
- If your child can see the location ahead of time, or look at pictures online, it may help him feel more comfortable. Discussing the schedule will also help him feel more in control of the situation.
- Nerves are normal. Empathise and teach some strategies for dealing with the feelings. ‘Sounds like you feel a bit nervous—that’s a normal feeling when you are doing something new. Let’s help you to find your courage so that you know how to handle that nervous feeling.’ (Be sure she knows what to say if she has questions and who she can ask; Be sure that she knows her phone number or that it is written somewhere if she needs help; She might imagine that she is a brave character facing this situation.)
- Check your own feelings: if you are concerned, be sure that the camp is safe and has a good reputation. Ask questions to feel comfortable and then express your confidence to your kids and your belief that they are capable. Plan your drop-off routine on the first day so that everyone is set up for success. Plan a quick hug and know your ‘exit line’: I’ll be back at 3 pm and look forward to hearing about your exciting first day. I know you can do this!’ Then LEAVE.
‘Happy Camping!’
More on this topic — Parenting Solutions,
More on this Age & Stage — School Age, Preschool,
Are you sending your kid to camp this summer? Wow—good on you! I am a big believer in giving kids the overnight camp experience if you can afford it. Your children will leave the comforts of home and learn to rough it. Yes, they’ll learn to start a camp fire in the rain and swim in a cold lake before breakfast. But besides developing grit from being out in Mother Nature, camp allows kids to build their psychological muscle, too. Camp’s other surprising curriculum is helping children learn how to handle life’s ‘social challenges.’
You see, at camp, children are a stripped of their parent’s doting and protection. For example, they’ll be served food they don’t like without the ability to whine for mom to make them their preferred meal. You don’t always get your way at camp, or in life! That’s the ‘iron clad logic of social living,’ as personality theorist, Alfred Adler, would say.
First time campers arrive to a cabin of strangers. Duffel bag in hand, they look around and maybe they don’t see anyone that even remotely looks likes someone they are interested in being friends with. They are smack dab in the centre of life’s reality and feeling uncomfortable about it.
What does your child do when they are faced with a situation that is distasteful to them? Do they call mom to fix things, hoping she’ll right this wrong by getting them moved into a cabin with friends? That reveals a child who thinks ‘other people are responsible for solving my life problems, not me.’ Or do they refuse to stay at camp and demand to come home immediately? That life stance shouts, ‘In this life, it’s my way or the highway! If I can be successful socially, I will evade the challenge all together.’ Do they mope about, bent on proving they won’t have a fun time, and instead have a chip on their shoulder feeling they got the fuzzy end of the lollipop? This approach shows a child who is looking for evidence to prove a belief about life that says, ‘I am a victim of my situation and life is out to get me.’ None of these attitudes are very helpful in life, but they sure are common approaches that people take, starting in early childhood.
Yes, ‘social challenges’ create tension. Their not the kind of tensions you feel when you are being taught how to row a kayak or do the high ropes, but I think parents should embrace them with a similar mindset. With some encouragement, camp can teach your child to learn to handle physical and social challenges.
This is a great time for our children to learn the following life lesson: ‘In life, you can’t always change your situation, but you can always change your attitude about your situation,’ says Dr. Adler. You may not have a say on the cards you’ve been dealt, but you can decide how to play your hand. And that’s empowering. Parents (and counselors) can help teach this important life lesson by sharing that quote with children and discussing it. We can be empathetic to our children and to their struggle, while sharing with the child some suggestions, like: ‘Since you have to be with these cabin mates, you can decide if you want to live with them happily or grumpily. Given you only have a few weeks of camp why not decide to make the best of it instead of feeling down? Sure, it isn’t what you expected, but knowing you, you’ll make the best of a bad situation.’
And do you know what camp miracle happens then? Your child will discover that they can change their attitude, and when they actively look for ways to make the situation better—it works and things do get better. The once-bitter child starts to laugh and open up. As they get to know the others in their cabin and begin to have shared experiences at camp, new friendships flourish. And that is a great life skill to learn at camp.
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