As Vancouver mom Kirsten Mihailides was packing her six-year-old son, Teddy, for overnight camp, he suddenly came down with a tummy ache. ?He didn?t want to go,? recalls Mihailides. ?He kept asking if he would be able to call home.?
To ease Teddy?s first-time-camper fears, Mihailides talked about all the fun things he?d be doing?like paddling a canoe and trying archery?because she knew the experience would help build his confidence.
It worked. This summer, Teddy, now nine years old, is signed up for two weeks of sleepover camp, and he?s totally excited.
Mihailides?s upbeat approach is just what the experts recommend to get kids through the uncertainty of the camp experience. ?Parents need to focus on the positive, even if they feel anxious about sending their child away,? stresses Kristen Hyodo, summer camp and outdoor education director at Sasamat Outdoor Centre in Belcarra, BC. ?Knowing Mom and Dad are on board with the trip is important for the child,? she adds. At Sasamat?s overnight camp program, for kids ages eight to 15, Hyodo prefers not to use the term homesick. ?When a child hears that word he might think there really is something wrong with him,? she says. Instead, Hyodo tells her campers, ?You?re just missing home??a feeling everyone deals with at some point.
Carla Fry, a psychologist who specializes in child and adolescent anxiety problems, says that unless a kid has a diagnosable condition, such as a panic disorder, being on her own can be a good way to devel...