Homesickness

I went to overnight camp twice when I was a kid. I cried hysterically both times. I was the kid who was inconsolable, didn't want to do any activities, called my parents crying, and spent a lot of time in the health center for a lot of nonexistent ailments. I was not "most likely to be a Camp Director" when I grew up.


I think my past as a homesick camper makes me a better Camp Director, or at least more empathetic. I completely understand how kids feel and I am very patient with them, because I totally feel their pain. We have one or two every week (sometimes a few more than that). Sometimes it's just a moment or day of homesickness, sometimes it is the whole week.


This week I have one special friend who has been homesick since he arrived. It is his third year at camp, and his brother and twin sister are here too. I wouldn't expect a kid with those things going for him to be homesick, but then again, I cried at day camp, so I should be so quick to judge.


Monday night was rough. He tried to climb in bed with his counselor, and pretty much stayed up the whole night. Tuesday morning, he was hysterical and adamant that he wanted to go home NOW. I gave him the same talk I give every homesick kid, starting out with, "we can call your parents but only once you've tried XYZ (depending on the day, time, kid, etc.)." I do my best to distract them, take their mind off home, and then give them a plan for when they get homesick. For this kid, I asked if he would draw his parents a picture of himself doing his favorite camp activity. That idea then ballooned into creating a whole book of drawings. I told him every time he felt homesick, he could come to my office and work on his book. Usually break times, right before or after meals and right before bed are the hardest times, so this gives him something to do during those times.

So he has been coming in for short, sometimes only 5 or 10 minutes to work on his project. He hasn't cried at all since we came up with it, and I heard from his counselor that he was very excited about the book he was creating with the Director's help. I didn't realize I had such star power, but whatever it takes, right?

Now he checks in with me on a regular basis. When I saw him playing capture the flag yesterday, he ran by and yelled, "I'm having a great time!" and today after breakfast, he said, "I'm having fun, but can I work on my book?" So we are buddies and he has paper and markers waiting for him on the spare desk in my office, so he can come in whenever he wants. I am confident he will make it through the week and maybe even grow up and become a Camp Director some day.