Reply to Anxiety Over Dropping DD at Sleepaway Camp

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[quote=Anonymous]I was in your daughter's position 25 years ago, and sleepaway camp was a life changer for me. Such a great experience and made me so much more confident and independent. I had begged my parents to send me, but definitely was very nervous when the time came (and remember crying as they pulled away). Chances are, it will be a wonderful experience for her.

I worked as a camp counselor for many years, and in all that time, I only remember 1 or 2 kids who really had long-lasting home sickness. Many kids were sad for a night or two, but by the end of the first week, were doing great. Two (or more) weeks was often better than just one, since it gave the kids an opportunity to really adjust. I'm sure this differs by camp, but at least where I worked (where we worked hard to make sure everyone was included and adjusting well), some of the kids who really grew the most at camp were those who struggled a bit socially at home. It was really cool to see.

My best advice is to stay upbeat when you say goodbye, and make it relatively quick. If she's upset, acknowledge it might feel a bit scary but remind her (without dwelling on the fact) that this is something she wanted to do, and that you know she is going to do great and have such a wonderful time. Give her a kiss, then get out of there and trust the counselors will take over if she has a hard time transitioning.

My mom always put on a brave face, but for whatever reason broke down in tears when she dropped me off at camp the summer I was 13. By that point, camp was the highlight of my year and I had no reservations about going, but my mom's teary goodbye was still pretty disconcerting and has stuck with me until today. Try not to do that![/quote]

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