Do you remember the fun of singing songs around the campfire when you first went away to one of the hundreds of overnight camps in the United States? Maybe your daughter is the same age now as you were on your first trip to camp, or maybe she is eager to try going away herself. How do you know if your daughter is ready for an overnight or possibly extended stay away from home this summer? Following are eight guideposts to help you gauge her readiness.
Your daughter is most likely ready to go to summer camp if she is at least seven years old and:
1. She is comfortable spending time away from home. Has she slept over at grandma's or a friend's house before? If she was okay being away overnight, she will most likely be okay at camp. If she is less than excited about spending nights away from home, going with a sibling or a friend may make her more willing to give camp a try.
2. She can handle her own personal hygiene, make her bed, handle her own pocket money, keep track of her belongings and act in ways that will keep herself safe (with just a little adult guidance).
3. She can communicate with adults easily. Your daughter needs to be able to talk to her counselors if she has a problem. If this is extremely difficult for her, she may not be quite ready to go this year.
4. She can follow instructions given to her by counselors without challenging them at every turn. This is especially important when doing any of the activities where following directions is a matter of safety, such as swimming or hiking.
5. She can make friends and get along with other girls from diverse backgrounds. Making new friends (at least one or two) is one of the best parts of camp. Often, friendships forged during these times can last well into adulthood. An ability to be civil to girls she does not particularly like will also make her time away from home more pleasant for everyone.
6. She will try new foods. It's likely that, at some point, food will be served that she is unfamiliar with or doesn't find very appealing, and there may not be other options available. She might have a hard time adjusting if she is an extremely picky eater.
7. She enjoys outdoor and group activities, such as canoeing, horseback riding, archery and hiking, and she can tolerate bugs. At least at traditional camps, activities revolve around the outdoors and the outdoors comes with bugs -- that's just a fact of life. A willingness to try new activities and to stick to them even if she decides she does not like them will help her get more out of the experience. (Of course, if indoor activities will predominate, such as might be found at a theater or computer camp, for instance, bugs should not be an overriding issue and there will be different priorities).
8. She is okay with how far she will be from home. You should make sure she understands the distance and time involved for you to reach her in case of an emergency. If she seems worried, you may want to consider an option that is closer to home.
Going away to a summer camp for girls is a big step towards independence. Not all girls are ready for this experience at the same time; however, if your daughter can do or is willing to try the above eight guideposts, she is more likely to have a great summer camp experience. And, if she is not ready just yet, there is always next year.
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