Sending your child to camp for the first time stirs up every feeling at once — pride, nerves, and a strange quiet at the dinner table. After sixteen summers of waving goodbye at the lodge circle, here's what actually helps.
Keep drop-off short and sunny
Long goodbyes signal that there's something to worry about. Give a hug, name one thing they'll love today ("canoes at ten!"), and go. Our counselors are trained to engage new campers within ninety seconds — most tears dry before you reach the parking lot.
Expect quiet, not news
We don't allow camper phones, and that's a gift. You'll get a photo update every evening in the family gallery instead. If you don't hear from us directly, it means your camper is busy having too much fun to be homesick.
Write letters, not rescue plans
A short, cheerful note beats a long worried one. Tell them what the dog did, not how much you miss them. And never promise an early pickup "if you don't like it" — it makes the adjustment harder, not easier.
Trust the day-two call
If homesickness lingers past the second day, our director calls you personally with a plan. In fourteen summers, we've never met a camper who didn't find their place by Friday.
Still nervous? Talk to us — calming parents is half our job, and we love it.