For thousands, the camp experience has been a long-standing family tradition. For others, camp seems almost counterintuitive. Send your child off to camp for maybe weeks at a time? As parents, recognizing that we and our children are growing and learning on a journey together is key to adequately preparing ourselves and them for any type of separation, including going to camp for the first time. But remember, separation anxiety is normal for you and your first-time camper, but here are some tips that will help.

There are things to consider as you ask yourself, "Who's going through separation anxiety, me or my child?"

Separation is a part of growing up. The camp environment gives your child independence in safe, structured surroundings with caring adults. Understanding that healthy separation prepares your child to be a confident, productive adult, often makes the process more successful for you and your first-time camper, and alleviate the separation anxiety.

Understand that separation is natural and necessary; remember your baby's first crawl, the first time your child stepped onto a school bus, and the overnight at a friend's or relative's and the same is true for your first-time camper. These memories are all important developmental phases you and your child successfully encountered. Each successful separation gives your child confidence for the next challenge, even if it causes you seperation anxiety. Recognize and expect success.

Do your homework. Ask the right questions about the camp you are choosing for your child and be sure to match your child's interest and age to the appropriate camp atmosphere so that he can be a successful first-time camper. Gathering information about the camp will make you feel better about your decisions and lesson your separation anxiety. Informed parents are best prepared to select a camp that meets their standards for staff, programs, safety, and facilities and strives to promote the welfare of every child.

Implement steps to help prepare you and your child to have a smooth transition to camp. Make decisions about camp together--where to go and what to pack should be a joint family endeavor. If your child feels part of the decision-making process, his chances of having a positive first-time camper experience improve. Throughout the process and as camp draws near, encourage your child to talk with you about her feelings. Communicate confidence in her ability to handle being away from home. And, be sure to share with your child that camp, like the rest of life, will have high and low points. Encourage your child to have realistic expectations and remind him that the purpose of camp is to have fun, and maybe you'll notice your own separation anxiety dissipate.  

If we can recognize that separating from our children may be just as difficult for us as it may be for them--maybe even more so--we can focus on what is so positive about the experience our children will have--the opportunity to have great fun while developing social skills, building character and self respect, and participating in a community based on caring, fairness, citizenship, and trust.

Opportunities for children to experience healthy, successful separation help our children discover who they are and to recognize their strengths. As our children prepare to eventually leave home permanently, I often wonder who is being prepared during each separation experience throughout a child's life--the growing child or the maturing adult. As our children develop independence through summers of fun, they are acquiring skills and assets that will serve them throughout their lives, and sometimes it begins with their first-time camper experience. Even though it may cause you some separation anxiety, you too will gain a valuable life experience.