This time of year, I often hear from parents whose campers are starting to feel a little unsure about summer. Maybe they’re asking questions they didn’t ask last fall, or suddenly wondering out loud if they really want to go to camp. If that sounds familiar, I want to start by saying this: it’s completely normal.
Right now, camp feels far away. It’s the middle of winter. Campers have been home for months, settled into school routines, surrounded by the comforts of home — warm beds, indoor bathrooms, phones, video games, and all the familiar rhythms of daily life. The woods feel distant. Camp friends feel like a memory. And it’s fair for a camper to wonder: Why would I give this up?
The truth is, home is comfortable — and camp isn’t always. There’s no electricity in the cabins (though that’s what makes the stars so bright at night). There are no phones or video games (but no screen can compete with landing the perfect sock-ball throw at your cabin mate or squeezing in a fiercely competitive chess match in the library). And yes, campers are unplugged from social media and the constant buzz of home — but in its place is cabin conversation, inside jokes, and the kind of connection where everything that matters is right there, within earshot.
This is why you send your child to camp.
For parents, it can be hard to watch your child feel uncertain — especially when you know how much camp means to them. Here are a few things that might help:
- Remember that this feeling is normal. Pre-camp nerves and homesickness over the summer are just part of the experience. Learning how to face uncertainty and move through it is an important life skill — and camp is a safe place to practice that.
- Help your camper name what feels hard. Sometimes “I don’t want to go” may actually mean “I don’t want to sleep on a top bunk” or “I’m worried I won’t like the food.” Sometimes campers get fixated on an issue that’s easy to address.
- Help them practice independence now. Sleepovers, weekend trips, or time away from home can gently build or rebuild the muscle of being apart — and remind campers they can do this.
- Avoid over-negotiating the decision. Treat camp as a steady, known plan rather than something up for debate. Confidence from parents often translates to confidence in kids.
- Connect them with camp peers – If you know another camper in your child’s session, setting up a call, game, or meet-up can make camp feel more real and less abstract. Also – come to one of our Camp Bowling Events to connect with other families and see Camp Staff.
- Reach out to us. Every camper is different, and we genuinely love talking with families. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call or schedule time with your camp director.
Camp will feel close again soon. And when summer arrives, those same campers who felt unsure in February will be sprinting down the path to their cabins like they never left.
Warmly,
Dan
Camp Director, Camp Becket
