Ep. 174: The Magic of Camp (Happy Campers Book Excerpt)
HAPPY CAMPERS: 10 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Indendent, Capable Kids Who Become Thriving Adults Learn ways to better connect with your kids, implement positive parenting practices, and help your family thrive, all during your busy days at home, at work, or on the go. Let HAPPY CAMPERS serve as a resource you’ll refer back…
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[ENCORE] Ep. 52: 9 Ways to Help Kids Process Summer Camp and Other Experiences
In Episode 52, Sara Kuljis and I chat about ways to help our kids process experiences. The ideas work for post-summer camp debriefing but also for our kids’ other adventures and experiences. Sara is a 20-year veteran camp director and parenting trainer who has great insights and ideas about parenting and counseling kids. Sara, with her…
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100 Questions About Summer Camp
Over my three decades as a summer camp director, I’ve been asked thousands of questions about camp from parents, campers, and young adult counselors. Much of my research, writing, podcast topics, and speaking has emerged from these questions. Deciding on Camp What’s the best age for overnight summer camp? You probably want a number here,…
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5 Ways Camp Grows Grit
“It turns out that grit predicts performance better than IQ or innate talent. Grit makes our kids productive and successful because it allows them to reach their long-term goals despite life’s inevitable setbacks. This ability to overcome challenges makes them stronger and more masterful at their tasks. Moreover, the ability to cope with difficulty –…
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7 Simple Steps to Teach Kids to Introduce Themselves
Hi! I’m Audrey Monke. Thanks for visiting my little corner of the internet here at Sunshine Parenting! Watch this 1-minute video to learn why I wrote this post about the importance of teaching kids how to introduce themselves to others: Because of my research on the importance of good social skills and positive relationships for a…
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Ready for Adulthood Check-List for Kids
What skills do our kids need in order to be ready for adulthood? Readiness is an interesting concept. Many things we do, like going to summer camp for the first time, starting college or a new job or becoming a parent, we’re not technically “ready” for. We haven’t had any practice yet! We learn best…
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Three Good Things
Sharing three good things with each other during daily family sharing is a great way to connect AND grow gratitude. It’s simple. During sharing time, each person shares three good things that happened in their day OR three things they’re grateful for. This gratitude exercise (when written down) has been proven to reduce depression symptoms.…
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Connection Tip #2: Start a Daily Family Sharing Habit
“Just like at camp, connections are the result of intentionally chosen, day-to-day family habits that create feelings of warmth and belonging.” –Happy Campers Secret #1: Connection Comes First One of my favorite connection tips (besides unplugging) is having a daily family sharing habit. I’ve honed my ideas on this topic over many years of practice around…
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Highs, Lows, and Buffaloes
What do kids choose to share about their friendships, camp experiences, time at school, and other life experiences? Sometimes, not much. An activity we do during nightly campfires at camp is an excellent way to get kids to share, and it’s also an easy family sharing habit that leads to better communication and connection. Highs…
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[Encore] Ep. 121: The Power of Showing Up with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
Subscribe for resources and ideas for happier, more connected families. DOWNLOAD Tina’s REFRIGERATOR SHEETS, which are summaries of each of Tina’s books The Power of Showing Up The Yes Brain No Drama Discipline The Whole-Brain Child SHOW NOTES Dr. Tina Payne Bryson is one of my favorite people. She’s a psychotherapist, founder and executive director…
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Why Kids Need to Get Uncomfortable
As parents, we spend a lot of time making our kids comfortable. Feeling cold? I’ll grab you a sweatshirt. Hungry? Let me get you a snack right away! Kid being unkind? I’ll complain to the teacher and make her stop! At times, I’ve felt like it’s my duty to alleviate any discomfort my child is…
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