A Mom’s Wish for Her Child’s Camp Experience this Summer

A Mom’s Wish for Her Child’s Camp Experience

When my first daughter was born eight years ago, like many moms, I started picturing all the milestones she would reach in her life. While some moms dream of their child’s first day of preschool or their wedding day, the most anticipated milestone for me has been the day she would go off to overnight camp for the first time and find her summer home.

Overnight camp was the best thing that ever happened to me and for 12 amazing summers, I spent eight weeks away from my parents as a camper and a counselor. For the past 10 years, I’ve also had my dream job working with over 400 summer camps. Now it has come time for my daughter to have this unique opportunity. I know her time at camp will differ from mine and I want her to create her own camp experience, however, I do offer her these words for her years at camp and for the rest of her life.

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May you always get butterflies in your tummy as you arrive at camp on the first day
It’s ok for you to feel a bit uneasy on those first few days of camp but this will just make you realize that you can get through hard days
You will learn something about yourself that you didn’t know before
Allow your heart and mind to be open to all the new people you are about to meet
Know that it’s ok to miss home while still having fun at camp
May just the word CAMP always make you feel happy
You will gain confidence in your ability to make your own decisions
You will learn to make your bed and I do hope you continue at home
May you belt out your camp’s alma mater song and feel the pride in your camp from your first summer to singing it in the shower 20 years later
You will find role models in your counselors and learn that there are other people that can be there for you besides mom and dad
May you try something new and find a passion for it
I hope the sound of certain songs will always take you back to your camp days
May you discover a true love of nature and have it stay with you forever
You will always treasure your camp friends and keep them in a special place in your heart
May you learn how to work well with people who are different than you and continue to always
May the smell of a campfire always bring you back to your camp days
You will sometimes miss home yet you will cry your eyes out on the last day of camp because you won’t want to leave

Dance Workshop - NY

Nestled in the heart of the UES, Dance Workshop is a community-focused studio committed to dance education in a loving and safe environment. Dance Workshop offers Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre and Acro for ages 2+. They also offer a Pre-Professional Company track for dancers interested in taking their technique to the next level. Trial classes may be scheduled with the studio at the start of the season. Dance with Dance Workshop! MaryAnn Grasso founded Dance Workshop in 1979. Her daughter Nanci later joined her at the helm and in 2016 established Dance Workshop on the Upper East Side of NYC. MaryAnn and Nanci have devoted their lives to dance education, community and the development of children; raising dancers and sound human beings alike. Dance Workshop has seen thousands of dancers pass through the doors. They believe dance has the power to elevate and change lives!

WCS Education - Wildlife Conservation Society

Explore nature, learn about the planet, and get close to animals&mdash;all in New York City! WCS zoo and aquarium day camps are for every young adventurer, from toddlers to teens. Campers experience hands-on learning, from STEAM classrooms and animal exhibits to nature trails and the beach. Recognized as industry leaders, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Education Department was the first of its kind to offer zoo camps and continues to provide award-winning programming. Visit wcs.education/camps to explore summer camps at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium!

Instituto Cervantes

Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.

A Mom’s Wish for Her Child’s Camp Experience