小孩長大的過程真像滾雪球一樣.一開始像弄個小雪球般辛苦的訓練他慢慢獨立,最後雪球滾大就自己滾走了...
今年暑假的重頭戲是一個七天六夜的 sleep away camp, 算是一種雪球試滾.班上幾個白人家庭早早就開始這種 sleep away camp, 有個家庭甚至今年把兩個孩子送到東岸參加一個為期八周的 sleep away camp, 中間只開放父母探親一個下午.這個小孩是班上的頭疼人物,典型的 middle class spoiled kid, 她媽媽在 facebook 上猛說 how much her kids get matured just a few weeks in the camp. She also mentioned how great it was to have a wonderful chance for her two kids to have a break from all electronic products they possess at home. Well, I don't believe sending kids to a camp can fix all the problems magically. I will never send Bennett to a camp for that reason.
下個月要去的 camp 是個極有規模的 camp, 活動包括了 sailing, kneeboarding (wake boarding and water skiing for those campers who participate in early morning or free time activity periods), rock climbing, ropes course, archery, and riflery.
這幾天都在弄保險資料和醫病史,去這種 residence camp 要提供的資料大概跟申請研究所差不了太多,只是不用考托福 GRE 和拿推薦信而已.最近同時在準備 packing list 上面列出的東西,在網路上買了 swimshirt, water shoes, 和能在三十度低溫使用的睡袋,現在正在想怎麼把落落長名單上的物品裝袋.另外我也在 camp store 預放了二十五元讓留留可以買些紀念品或臨時需要的物品.
除了實際的準備行動之外也讀一些東西, camp 的網站本身資源豐富,有很多不錯的 links. To prepare 我們這種第一年參加的菜鳥家庭, camp 提供了一份對付想家的教戰守則,心理建設這些第一次在外過夜的小孩們.留留雖然去年去過一次 Camp Campbell 三天兩夜的 mini camp, 但是一個禮拜 sleep away 還是第一次.把這份單子放在這裡,不只留留需要心理建設,媽媽也很需要!
Do...
1. Focus on how much fun camp will be.
2. Tell them it’s natural to miss their parents and home when they’re away, and that those feelings are normal.
3. Discuss possible coping strategies if they feel sad at camp, such as:
• Keeping a positive attitude and having fun, even when feeling sad.
• Talking to their counselor or other adult at camp.
• Writing a letter telling about camp and their feelings.
• Keeping a journal about camp.
• Keeping busy with fun camp activities and friends.
• Taking pictures to show parents after camp.
• Keeping a calendar and marking off days to see how quickly camp is going.
4. Let them know how proud you are of their independence and how excited you are to hear of their accomplishments when they finish camp.
5. Tell them that there is not an option to call you or come home early (if they ask you).
6. Encourage them to write letters and postcards telling about their new friends and the many activities they’re doing at camp.
7. Write encouraging, cheerful letters to your child.
8. Acknowledge your own bittersweet feelings about your child being able to live without you for a few weeks, but don’t express your sadness about missing them.
9. Sign your child up for the bus or have them take a flight into Fresno on the way to camp. It makes for much easier good-byes at the beginning of camp.
10. Remind yourself that there are many more tears at the end of camp than at the beginning.
11. Expect a sad letter. Realize that letters are usually written during quiet times when campers are feeling more reflective. Usually, they are perfectly happy long before the letter makes it to your mailbox.
Don’t...
1. Tell them, “If you are sad after a few days of camp, call me, and I’ll come pick you up.” This will set your child up for failure, since most likely they will have some sad feelings that they will need to work through.
2. Express a lack of confidence in their ability to be away at camp, either directly to them or in front of others.
3. Tell them you’ll be sad and miserable at home without them.
4. Write sad letters to your child outlining how much you miss them and telling them events they are missing at home. If your child is homesick, it will be encouraging to hear that “nothing exciting is happening at home.”
