Embracing Risk: Savage Park
“Americans, I beseech you, it is not as impossible as it seems. We may have an ocean on the east and west, we may have borders on the north and south, but we are not an island; we are in the world. There is no escaping it: we have been born, we are going to…
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The Greatest Internship: 6 Critical Skills Counselors Develop at Camp
This week I’m featuring a guest post by Alison “Bean” Moeschberger, an experienced camp director whose passion is training and guiding counselors to be outstanding at camp and in life. I still cringe every time I hear a counselor tell me that they’re not returning to camp next summer because they have to get an internship to prepare…
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Research finds Children Learn Social Skills at Camp
Last summer, I conducted research on the impact camp experiences have on children’s social skills and happiness. This research was through the California State University, Fresno for my master’s degree thesis entitled, “The Perceived Impact of Camp Experiences on Youth Social Skills and Subjective Well-Being.” Last week, I reported on the happiness (well-being) findings. This week, I’m…
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Study Finds Campers Really are Happy
Update: Check out my book, HAPPY CAMPERS, for more about my research & findings! Camp is basically my happy place, and I love being here more than any other place in the world. -Camper, 2014 “Happy camper” is an expression used to describe anyone who’s feeling good about something in any circumstance. But just how…
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College Touring 101
2018 Update: We’re back on the college touring scene once again — 4th time around in our family! Our 11th grade son is starting the college search process. He’s looking at a few of the large, public universities outside of California (where we live). Given this recent article, it appears looking outside of California is…
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Super Mom or Super Bomb? Modeling a Balanced Life for our Kids
“First and foremost, we need to be the adults we want our children to be.” Brené Brown Books have an amazing way of dropping into my life at exactly the right moment. There’s usually one thing that really stands out to me, even from books that offer more than just one tip. Maybe it’s my…
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3 Ways to Make Family Dinner like a Campfire
Most of us know the importance of family dinners: Kids who regularly eat dinner with their families are more emotionally stable, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, get better grades, have fewer depressive symptoms, and are less inclined to obesity or eating disorders. It’s certainly a compelling list. But what can you do if your family dinner isn’t…
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Three Character Traits Kids Develop at Camp
While it’s easy to think of ways to teach our kids to do laundry or solve math problems, finding a way to instill important character traits isn’t so simple. The way we model traits we want our children to exhibit has a powerful influence on them, and some traits (kindness, gratitude, and generosity) they learn…
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Living Life in our “Sweet Spot”
I usually slog through these kinds of non-fiction books over a few months, interspersed with some “fun” reading. With this book, which I pre-ordered and received the day it came out, I finished it in 10 days. I couldn’t wait to pick it up each evening and get ever-closer to figuring out how to reduce…
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7 Ways to Foster Relationships Using Social Media
No human on the internet can miss the flood of articles about how bad all of our screen time is for our kids and for us. I’ve added to the “unplugged” conversation myself and am a big proponent of the benefits of unplugging and focusing on real connections with real people. However, I have also…
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10 Social Skills Kids Learn at Camp
At one of my son’s soccer games this fall, a mom on our team offered her son $50 for each goal he scored. He had the highest scoring game of his life, and his mom had to fork over enough cash for a new iPhone. This anecdote illustrates something I have long felt to be…
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Five Reasons Every Teen Should go to Summer Camp
Being at camp gives me this sense of belonging that I’ve never felt anywhere else. I know that I can be myself and that my cabin mates will love me for who I am, and I’ve brought that to my life outside of camp. -Hannah #1 Improve Interpersonal Skills & Form Close Friendships “In a…
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