Five Tips for Preventing Homesickness at Summer Camp

Sending your child off to summer camp can be a terrifying experience for parents, especially if your son or daughter has a tendency to get homesick.  While more than 95% of all kids who attend summer camp feel some degree of homesickness, only one in fourteen will be so distressed by it that they end up returning home early.  The good news is there are many strategies parents can use to minimize homesickness and help kids get the most out of their summer camp experience. 

• One way of doing this is by sending them off to camp with their own personalized camp stationery.  By letting your children know how much you will look forward to receiving their letters, they will still feel connected to their home and family.
• Involving your child in the decision-making about summer camp is another way for them to “take ownership” of their time away from home.  The more a child wants to go to camp, the more likely they are to make the best of it and have fun.
• Buying camp supplies and special gear for their camp activities will help your child visualize their camp experience too.  Why not ask them to help you apply their camp clothing labels to all their clothing, personal items and gear? 
• Some children enjoy keeping a diary or journal while at camp.  A camp diary can help kids get through short periods of homesickness by giving them a place to record their feelings. 
• If you know of other children who have had positive experiences with summer camp, let your child spend some time with them.  Sometimes a kid-to-kid chat will answer all of their concerns.

Whatever you do, never promise your child you will come and get them if they feel homesick.  Not only will this undermine their burgeoning independence, it may send a negative message about camp in general, and their ability to cope without you. 

Ultimately, most parents find that any homesickness disappears once their child gets acclimated to camp, and kids end up wishing they could stay a little longer.