Expert Advice: Communication

Each year we publish a series of blogs to help our families prepare for camp. We understand that getting ready for camp can be stressful and, at times, overwhelming. But we have experience to offer and want to share with you all the tips, tricks, and secrets to making getting ready for camp exciting and fun. In our blog series “Expert Advice” we will be sharing our strategies and advice with you. We’ve already shared our expert advice on labeling and packing, so we want to focus on in on how you can communicate with your camper and how they can communicate back with you.

Often parents and family members number one concern and question when sending their kids to camp is how they will stay in touch with one another. No how long your camper is at camp, we promise to provide you with tools to keep the communication flowing back and forth.

PHOTOS

We employs a photography team each summer. The communications team is responsible for taking and uploading photos to CampInTouch each day, except Shabbat. Each member of the communication team will be responsible for taking photos for 2 villages. In assigning these responsibilities we hope to allow the team to get to know the campers in the village and learn what that particular village’s culture is so that we can convey it to you through photos. We will do our best to make sure every cabin has a group photo on most days and guarantee that a group photo of the whole cabin is taken at least every three days. In addition to these, we will continue to capture the moments that make camp special and share them in the village albums. There are some key things to keep in mind with photos:

• Our photos are intended to provide you with a glimpse of what is happening at camp and not a photo gallery of one camper’s experiences. Each photo is a snapshot of a moment of the day.
• We ask campers not to use hand signs and will have them put their hands down before taking the photo.
• We never force a camper to be in a photo if he or she doesn’t want to pose. We understand that some campers (and staff) just don’t like being in pictures.
• We will always put more attention into making sure that we have the best care, activities, supervision and fun that we can provide over making sure that we are capturing the perfect photo.
• The CampInTouch system will be updated daily at the earliest 11am and 2pm at the latest. Please note that we upload a lot of photos and camp does not have the best internet connection, so it may take a while for the photos to upload.

LETTERS & EMAILS

Through CampInTouch, parents/guardians (and approved guests setup by the parent/guardian) can email their camper(s). These emails get printed every morning, sorted by village, and are delivered to campers around lunch time. Through CampInTouch, you can choose to put certain special “add-ons” into the letters, like a fun border or a game, but you will need to purchase Camp Stamps through CampInTouch. Please note that those purchases are not through Camp Chi, they are through CampInTouch.

With that in mind, we remind you that camp is a technology free space. We don’t have computers outside of certain program areas and we value the face to face interactions that come from being a screen-free environment. That being said, campers cannot email anyone back. Instead we teach them the value of an old-school pen(cil) and paper letter. Everyone has to write at least twice a week- one day we provide a post card for campers to write, and one day their letter is their ticket into the dining hall for dinner. Some campers are eager to write letters to everyone, while others need some motivation. We trust you know your camper better than we do and can help set them up for success, but here are some helpful tips for camper letter writing.

• With computers, tablets, phones, and technology running rampant, many campers do not know how to write a letter or address an envelope. We have visual guides in every cabin, but it is a good idea to review it with your camper beforehand. You may even want to do a letter writing tutorial before camp starts. Many families send pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes as well, which takes the stress away from the camper.
• Set clear expectations. Your camper needs to know what you are expecting. Do you expect to get a letter every day? That may not be realistic, but one or two a week may be. How many letters should be sent to siblings, grandparents, etc.?
• Make it fun. Some families send pre-written letters mad-lib style. That can be silly and fun, but it also doesn’t force the camper to start from scratch. Maybe provide a prompt or a list of things they can write about. While camp is super fun and exciting, it can be hard to put into words as a camper.

And while campers can receive emails, nothing is more special than the feeling of tearing open an envelope to read the card or letter from someone. Campers love getting mail in addition to the emails, as it shows that someone put a little extra effort and energy into it for them. But it is the content of the letters that is important, so let’s talk about letters.

As we said, campers love getting mail from home. It’s a reminder that their family is thinking of them and it often makes their day. When sending a letter to your camper it is important to remember certain things to cover, and certain topics to avoid. Everyone transitions to camp differently. For some it takes minutes, and for some days. And to complicate it more, it is different year to year for each person, so there is no guarantee that your camper will transition at the same pace they did last year. The letters from home can add some comfort, but if they say the wrong thing, they can also cause quite a bit of emotions and stress. What should be included in your letters:

• Information about the daily life at home. That routine is still happening. Campers will need to know that their daily life at home is waiting for them after camp.
• Questions questions and more questions! First of all, asking questions about camp and your camper’s experience will encourage them to want to write back. But it also helps them focus on the camp experience. Also, it shows them that you are invested in their camp experience and want to hear about what their daily life is like at camp.
• Fun updates from home are always a win. That can be an update on their favorite sports team, the weather at home, or it can be something silly like having a whole letter written from the family pet, and what they are doing each day. If there is a family pet, adding a photo of the pet is often a good idea, as they like to share that with their cabinmates.

While those are great things to include in the letters, these topics should be avoided:

• While it may go without saying, including bad news in a letter isn’t a good idea. We respect camper’s privacy and obviously don’t read their mail. But we are also partners in your camper’s well-being, including their emotional health. If there is bad news to share, please call us and we will strategize the best way to share it with your camper.
• While it may be true, we would suggest not telling your camper that home is empty or sad without them. It can make them feel guilty for being at camp and for having a good time while you are miserable. That guilt can often lead to homesickness where there was not before.

PHONE CALLS

Camp Chi staff will contact parents for a plethora of reasons. Over the summer you may hear from the office staff, health center, canteen, your camper’s village leaders, or one of the full-time staff. Contrary to what many families believe, getting a phone call from camp is not necessarily a bad thing. We often call just to give an update on how your camper is adjusting or to celebrate your camper’s achievement and make you aware. Our goal is to contact the family of every first-time camper to provide an update on their adjustment to camp within the first week of camp. We will also contact you to discuss certain situations, extreme cases of homesickness, unusual or concerning behavior.

The only time campers call home is if they have a birthday while at camp. We recognize that this may be disconcerting for some families, but often hearing a parents voice can lead to making matters worse and bringing about homesickness that was not there before.

Of course, you can call the camp office anytime and leave a message for your camper’s village leader.

AND SO MUCH MORE

We try to give you as much insight into what is happening at camp as possible. We post the menu and weather each day, as well as a recap of the day before and updates on how camp is going. Villages post newsletters twice a week so you have an understanding of what their themes, programs, and values are. We also post updates on our social media, so be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@CampChi). And of course, if you have questions or concerns, or want to get expert advice over the phone, give us a call anytime and we’ll be happy to help.