Ethical Accommodation
“I don’t know the first thing about accommodations,” I said to my friend, the director of a camp that serves young burn survivors. “Yes, you do,” he insisted.
Continuing-Education Best Practices
“College is the best four years of your life” is a discouraging claim for two reasons: It implies the rest of your life will be disappointing, and it suggests an educational dead end in your early 20s. Fortunately, if you’re committed to being your best, neither of these dim predictions comes true.
Hey There, Tiger!
Like all other activities at camp, the success of adventure programming hinges on a trusting relationship between adult staff members and the young participants. Without this relationship in place, most people—especially the young ones—are not willing to try new things, make mistakes, persevere, and take healthy risks.
The Second Scourge Of Electronic Technology
Most day and overnight camps forbid campers from using their phones. Most camps also forbid staff members from the same—at least in front of campers.
ool Hygiene
Most camps have worked hard for decades to get kids and staff to wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals. Now both groups do it almost instinctively.
Apprentice Programming
I had been teaching swimming for 20 years, so I couldn’t understand why this dripping and discouraged 12-year-old was having so much trouble with his breaststroke rhythm. My tried-and-true pull, kick, glide supplication had always worked … until today.
Drifting Development
We knew it was coming, but it was still worrisome to see. Campers and staff in the 2022 summer struggled mightily, compared to their pre-pandemic age peers.
Adventure-Programming Debriefs
There is no single recipe for building a successful camp, but there is one key ingredient that must be included—an exceptional staff. After spending almost 30 years immersed in camp culture, most recently as the Executive Director of Camp Operations, I have seen firsthand the impact of exceptional training on a camp’s success.
So This Counselor Walks Into A Cabin …
Want to know the biggest secret about staff training? Most of the learning will not occur in formal workshops but on the job, after campers arrive. As a parent, that’s a scary thought, at first.
What Is Comfortable?
When my wife and I had saved enough money to buy a house, we didn’t have much left over to buy furniture. Fortunately, our parents chipped in to help us buy a three-piece set that included a couch, a loveseat, and a chair.
Enough About Coronavirus
Early in the pandemic, mental-health professionals cautioned against overindulging in news. Keeping up-to-date is important, especially during a health crisis or an election year.