How to talk with your kids when they ask about camp this summer

For younger children, follow their lead.

For many of our younger children, the summer still feels far in the future. They are appropriately more consumed with the day to day questions about when they will return to school, extracurriculars, and playdates with friends. If they are not asking about it, it’s okay to let it be for now. If and when they ask, and it’s often out of the blue, it’s helpful to answer with a simple and honest response. Something like, “We are hopeful that camp will happen this summer, but we don’t know for sure right now.” And then move on to the next matter at hand.

For older children, have the conversation

For our older children, for whom a summer without Alvernia is unthinkable, this is an important conversation. They have probably already asked many times and are wondering what the next few months hold. Many are holding onto the vision of a “normal” summer as a helpful and hopeful focal point. For your older children, you may want to share something like “Camp leadership is hard at work preparing for 2020. They are doing all that is in their control to be ready for the summer. Camp’s priorities are the health and safety of our community. If permitted to operate, we trust that camp will take all necessary steps to make camp safe, fun, and true to the spirit of Alvernia.”

When will we know?

The next question might be, when will we know? We are all getting a thorough education in the art of getting more comfortable with the unknowable. Just as none of us knew what this would look like at the start of the year, we don’t know exactly what the coming weeks will look like, so it’s helpful to take things one day and week at a time for now.

Focus on the present

In a time when so much is beyond our control, we want to help our kids to focus on what is in their control, what can they do. With regards to camp, they can be in touch with their camp friends, and think of ways to engage in acts of kindness and gratitude in the true spirit of Alvernia. And please connect with Camp Alvernia at Facebook and Instagram.

Again, thank you for your partnership and your resilience. Be well and be in touch with any questions.