Summer Camp and other life skills
Hi friends,
It’s officially summer! And I’m a recently minted “Camp Mom”, which means I spent the weekend using mental trigonometry to cram two weeks worth of pre-teen clothes and supplies into a small plastic trunk.
I also gave a series of mini-lessons to my 9 year old, explaining that sunscreen should be applied 20 mins before bug spray, the purpose of a bath caddy, and why we’re not sending her normal berry-flavored toothpaste (i.e. to ward off bears). Funnily, Amazon thought were sending her off to college, not camp!
It can be daunting to prep for your child’s first overnight experience. If you’re a tad anxious like me, this video guide is helpful; the section starting at minute 52 focuses on “what success looks like”, pointing out that setting expectations low is good for both the parent and child.
I’m not going to lie: I’m hoping that her experience is transformative. The research points to several benefits of overnight camp, including:
• Improved academic performance. Studies have shown that kids who attend overnight camp tend to have better academic performance than those who do not. This is likely due to the increased self-confidence and self-esteem that kids gain from camp, as well as the improved social skills that they develop.
• Reduced stress and anxiety. Spending time in nature has been shown to have many benefits for mental health, including reducing stress and anxiety. Overnight camp can provide kids with the opportunity to relax and de-stress in a beautiful natural setting.
• Learning new skills. Overnight camps often offer a variety of activities that kids can learn new skills in, such as cooking, arts and crafts, and outdoor skills. This can help kids discover new interests and talents.
Let’s see what happens…I’ll keep you updated!
And speaking of new skills, we’ve been focusing on the things that our generation probably learned at a much younger age, like shoe-tying. If you’re in the same shoes as us (pun intended), Tara Clark of Modern Mom Probs shared this mom-hack winner. I probably would’ve use that approach if I hadn’t first found this excellent tutorial from an occupational therapist.
And for more insights & news on children’s health check out:
Frozen Fruit recall
3 things you didn’t know about babies and crying
Tips for Playful Summer Learning
Lastly, if you’re like me and feeling a bit bad about not imparting crucial life-skills like shoe-tying, this one is for you:
Till next time,
Sehreen
P.S. If this newsletter is helpful to you, please share it with a friend! And send me your thoughts, fears, and hopes for this summer <3