Survival tips for parents and kids

BENITA BAKER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

Preparing kids for summer camp is a challenge. After 10 years of sending my kids to summer camp, after years of starting too soon or leaving it to the last minute, of sewing labels, of endless debates over whether they are bringing too much or not enough, I have become an expert. Here are some things I learned:

Preparing for camp:

1. Label everything, even shoes. Things get lost no matter what you do but at least give the lost items the chance of being found. Forget the sew-on labels unless you have the time to sit and sew. Iron-on labels are also a pain. Invest in a permanent marker. It's cheap and it's fast. For dark items, I use white-out.

2. Expect to lose towels. Kids don't care about how expensive your towels are. They leave them everywhere without a second thought. Buy cheap towels. They work just as well and get lost just as easily.

3. Write letters before they go. I start writing letters to my kids about a week before they leave so that they get mail as soon as they arrive. It's awkward. You're writing things like "the house is quiet without you" when the sounds of his video game are screaming through the house.

4. For the campers, pre-stamp and address envelopes. Phone calls are not allowed at my kids' camp so I would like them to write home once a week. I also want them to send at least one letter during the summer to their grandparents. Addressing and stamping the envelopes makes it that much easier for them and also eliminates the potential for losing or misplacing stamps. I put everything (pad of paper, envelopes, pens) in a folder. On the inside of the folder, I write out family and friends addresses, and also include blank stamped envelopes, in case they have the urge to write more letters.

5. Hockey bags make great duffle bags. Over the years, I have searched army supply stores, outdoor stores and Canadian Tires for camp bags. The heavy canvas bags are the most durable but hockey bags are the most available and pretty indestructible.

6. Send a fan, whether the camp suggests you do or not. During a heat wave camp bunks can be stifling but most camps worry about overloading the circuits with electric fans. Small battery-operated fans are safe and provide some relief, especially to the kids who have the upper bunk.

7. Send touch lights. My kids really like these little battery-operated lights that stick to the bed or the wall and add "ambience" to the cabin.

8. Lay out everything before packing. The camps usually send a suggested list of what to bring. My kids and I do this together. We set out everything in piles on the basement floor – towels, T-shirts, pants, sweatpants, etc. As we pack them into the duffle bag, we check off the inventory list. That way my sons know exactly what they are bringing and we ensure that nothing is forgotten.

During camp:

1. Write often. That's easy to say but not always easy to do. It takes time to write letters and sometimes it's difficult to find things to write about. Once in a while I'll cut word puzzles out of the newspaper or send a page of riddles or jokes that I find on the Internet. It's mail, it's fun and the kids know that I am thinking about them.

2. Don't send embarrassing letters. When my kids were younger, I used to kiss each letter wearing lipstick. I found out later that instead of being happy to see my letters, they dreaded opening them in case one of their cabin-mates saw my sign of affection.

3. Send packages. No matter how many letters you send, the kids love getting packages. Don't fill packages with valuable or fragile items (in case they are lost or broken en route). The smallest things make for fun – balloons, "whoopee" cushions, comic books and miniature games. Dollar stores are a treasure chest for camp packages.

Home from camp:

1. Throw away socks. I used to wash socks two or three times before I would even consider them worthy of going into the clean pile. Then I gave up. No matter how much bleach you use, the socks still look dirty. It's not worth it.

2. Wash and put everything away together. Camp linens are only for camp so I pack them away in the duffle bags until next year. When we begin our packing – voila – all the sheets, blankets and towels are ready to be counted. It also easily tells me how many towels I need to buy to replace the lost ones.

3. Save camp letters. I never asked them to but my kids always bring home the letters they received at camp. I keep them in a file along with the letters they send home. These make great memories.

Benita Baker is a freelance writer living in Nepean, Ont.

^TOP