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December 17, 2004
Keeping your kids safe at camp
Accidents can happen anywhere, but there are things that can minimize
their occurrence and ease your mind.
PEARL SALKIN
When my cousin Susan's daughter Shari turned 12, she wanted to
see the world. She had spent every summer since age four at day
camp, and she had had enough. Table games and arts and crafts had
lost their lustre. The thought of playing Ping Pong and pasting
pieces of pasta on popsicle stick jewelry boxes didn't excite her.
And, since her bat mitzvah was just a few months away, she decided
to assert her independence, make a sales pitch and try to persuade
her parents to sign her up for a Jewish teen travel camp.
Susan and her husband, Victor, played it cool. They put on their
sad, abandoned parents face and grilled Shari to make sure she had
thought it through. But, secretly, they were thrilled. And they
were ready to take advantage of the opportunity to fulfil a much-delayed
dream – a second honeymoon in France.
Shari had a wonderful time on the tour bus and at the overnight
stops along the way. Susan and Victor enjoyed every minute on the
Champs Elysée, every morsel of pâté and everything
served flambé. That's how life is supposed to be. You have
kids. They reach bar/bat mitzvah age. You send them off for a summer
adventure. You all enjoy the break. Sure.
On the seventh day of what was supposed to be a month-long stay
at camp, my husband and I got the dreaded phone call. Our son Will,
a calm, conservative kid with a preference for playing computer
games and no- or low-contact sports, tripped over a tree root and
landed on his arm. We rushed to the hospital and signed for the
emergency surgery. After the hour-long procedure and a brief stop
in the recovery room, Will, his right arm in a cast from his fingers
to his shoulder, was wheeled into another room, where we waited
for the general anesthesia to wear off. He was soon alert and raring
to go home. But before his discharge could be approved, he had to
prove that he could handle solid food. He had to eat (and keep down)
an egg salad sandwich. For most people, no problem. For our son,
big problem. Will hates egg salad. He likes eggs, but not when you
mix them with mayonnaise. On a good day, he would have gagged on
such a sandwich. If my husband and I weren't physically present
at his bedside to persuade the nurse to allow him to substitute
a turkey sandwich, Will would have had to spend days in the hospital
under observation for a poor reaction to anesthesia.
Although Will was disappointed that he couldn't go back to camp,
he healed quickly and completely, and returned for a pleasant but
uneventful summer the next year. His accident was just one of those
unfortunate things. The care he received from the camp's resident
registered nurse was excellent. And, after breaking my own wrist
in a freak fall at home last year, I know that no place – not
even your own living room – is 100 per cent safe. However,
while no one can guarantee a totally safe and risk-free summer experience,
parents can take steps to ensure that their child will have the
best possible outcome. Here are some points to ponder before you
send your child off to camp:
1. Keeping the kids in Canada? Check out the CCA – the
Canadian Camping Association. Lots of general information about
summer camps and links to provincial camping associations, the organizations
that set the standards for Canadian camp accreditation, safety issues
and related matters, can be found online at ccamping.org.
The site's camp selection checklist, accessed by clicking on Parents
Info. – how to choose a camp button, is an invaluable tool
for any concerned parent.
2. Searching for a U.S. camp? Look for the ACA logo –
the American Camping Association, a nonprofit organization of camping
professionals, accredits more than 2,300 resident and day camps
in the United States. Before a camp can boast belonging to the ACA,
it must undergo a rigorous approval process. Health and safety standards
are high. Camps must meet requirements in an assortment of areas
ranging from cleanliness to staff certifications, and from having
structurally sound facilities to sufficient life-saving equipment.
And besides reviewing detailed paperwork that camps submit to back
up claims of worthiness, the prospect of surprise inspections at
campsites is an added incentive to make sure things are up to code.
For more parent-friendly information, visit the ACA website at www.acacamps.org.
Its search engine can direct you to all kinds of camps, including
many that have a Jewish cultural focus or an affiliation with a
variety of Jewish (religious) organizations.
3. Make it a perfect match. Kids come in all shapes, sizes
and skill levels. While camp can be a great place to experiment
with new sports and explore emerging interests, no two children
develop exactly at the same pace emotionally, physically or mentally.
What would be a stimulating challenge for one 10-year-old could
be a psychologically paralyzing predicament for another. Since parents
know their child's abilities and weaknesses better than anyone else,
it might be best to sit down with your child, go over the camp curriculum
and discuss which activities sound appealing and which sound utterly
frightening. This is really important when a child wants to go to
a specialty camp. Being a strong swimmer in a heated pool and dreaming
of going to a surfing camp is one thing. Sharing the ocean with
sharks, crabs and other scary critters is something else.
4. North versus south, east versus west. Since most of us
live in a crowded city or its traffic-teeming suburbs, we like to
send our kids to a camp in a more spacious setting. But a day at
the beach in Nova Scotia can be cold. Horseback riding or hiking
through Colorado's mountain passes can be exhausting for anyone
used to living at sea level. And learning how to water ski or wakeboard
on one of Florida's alligator-infested lakes can be downright dangerous!
Yes, there is at least one camp in my new home region, central Florida,
where kids – and counsellors – are expected to participate
in water sports under the watchful eyes of gargantuan gators. So,
before you send your child to the far reaches of this continent,
familiarize yourself with the facilities, climatic conditions and
local practices.
5. Be prepared. If your child will be playing sports that
require bringing along their own equipment, laundry markers can
identify kid's gear. With any luck, what you send along with your
child will find its way back home by summer's end. Check sneakers,
soccer shoes and such for fit and condition. Kids grow fast. Trying
to compete in outgrown shoes can cause discomfort, injury and foot
problems down the road. Safety equipment – wrist guards, pads,
helmets, etc. – should be examined for wear and tear and proper
sizing. If something's not right, replace it.
6. In case of emergency. Although no crisis arose at travel
camp during my cousin's European holiday, all contingencies were
covered. The camp had the proper authorizations to provide necessary
treatment and a trusted family member was on call (with legal documentation
to act as a guardian) to quickly be at the child's side in the event
of an emergency.
7. Ask lots of questions. Knowing that your preferred camp
has an accreditation seal is comforting. But whether the camp is
or is not accredited, don't hesitate to ask camp administrators
about any health and safety concerns. Find out what the staff-to-camper
ratio is. See how campers' abilities are assessed; what the condition
of buildings, buses and grounds is; how counsellors leading groups
off premises keep in communication with their home base; who staffs
the infirmary; and what measures are taken to maintain a safe and
healthy environment.
The list of potential problems is endless. Do your best to confirm
that everything necessary for your child's safety and well being
is in place. And, if you decide to take off while your kids are
at camp, make sure someone's around to hold the mayo!
Pearl Salkin is a freelance writer living in Daytona Beach,
Fla.
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