Summer is finally here – time to sleep in, head to the pool or beach, and destress from the school year!  For some children, this summer may also include their first time at sleepaway camp.  Some kids are ecstatic at the idea of leaving home and living in the woods with their soon-to-be new best friends.  For others, being on their own away from home for the first time can bring about intense feelings of nervousness, worry, and uncertainty.  These feelings are completely normal!  For many kids, they occur most often during unstructured time (e.g., during meals or before bed) and dissipate after the first few days.  It is important to remember that anxiety about attending sleepaway camp is not necessarily an indicator that your child is not ready to attend.

Attending sleepaway camp has tremendous benefits to a child’s emotional development.  Research has shown that even spending just one week away can boost a child’s self-confidence as they learn to explore their world and push the limits of their comfort zone in a new and safe environment.  They build resilience through trying (and perhaps failing at) new things without the threat of a bad grade or a disappointed parent looming over them.  Sleepaway camp also provides a wonderful opportunity to sharpen one’s social skills.  From making new friends, working in groups and teams, sharing a living space, and developing a sense of community and belongingness, almost every moment of the sleepaway camp experience is deeply social.  Sleepaway camp also allows for the opportunity to meet kids with diverse backgrounds from other parts of the country.  For some, one’s bunkmates may turn into enduring friendships that extend beyond the campground.

Here are some ways to help prevent your child’s homesickness while they are at camp, as well as some strategies for how to cope with those feelings when they occur: