Is Summer Camp a Respite?
Don’t let the wind and the rain fool you. Summer is just on the other side of the hill you must climb before the school year comes to a close.
You may despair of finding a summer activity that will measure up to the demands of you child. And your demands for a safe place with well trained staff that understands the purpose of camp. Let me be very clear about this. The purpose is to give you some time every day to take a breath and clean out the garage without worrying about entertaining, disciplining or stimulating your child. Let’s be honest. If your child with emotional challenges is with other children in the semi chaos that has characterized camp for generations, he’s already having fun. Today, camp means lots of things.
When I was a child, we went to sleep-away or day camp. Today you can find a place for computer classes, basketball camp or drama (Not the kind you are having at home because your child is playing non-stop video gamers. Over the years my son was in a half-day science program that seemed to be focused on the collection of field debris, a sculpture glass that produced frightening zombie type face masks, and a swim class that ended in a short-lived, terrifying career in cliff diving. ( I told him the cliff were all closed for environmental reasons and he believed me until he was 12.)
What I learned is it doesn’t matter what the point of the camp is. Find something, anything, that holds a week or two of attraction for you son or daughter. Start with your town’s Youth Bureau or Park’s Department. Grocery stores and schools give out those throwaway newspapers listing camp programs. Look at the available budget for this activity and explore scholarships. There are all kinds of camps at every price point. Talk to a friend about pooling resources to send both your kids for week each of a two week camp. Ditto for babysitters not afraid of outside games . Ask questions to be certain that there is proper supervision and some training in special needs. This isn’t a school year, so ensure safety without focusing on long term progress.
There are special camps for children with neurological problems. They tend to be very expensive and usually are well worth it. If your child has an IEP that calls for a 12 month program the school may be responsible for some of the cost. DO YOUR RESEARCH AND DON’T LET THE SCHOOL OFF THE HOOK. If it just can’t be, write for the curricula, design your own day and hire a sitter who can carry out the plan.
Remember this is about you and getting a break. Your son will be fine, because you know what he needs and will be sure to see that basic safety and happiness is built into the program. And, every day can’t be camp. Don’t be afraid to lose the video games, go to the town park and swim at the local pool after work. It’s all about varying the routine so the days don’t look like school and you don’t feel the stress of the past year. Take a deep breath, do some research and sign yourself up for a week of self-care. Let me know how you do.
