Keeping the Summer Spark Alive: Helping Kids Through Mid-Summer Struggles
The saying is we live ten months for two right?! Some of our children can’t wait to start camp; they are feeling done with school and ready for fun. At the beginning of summer, camp feels like a dream: reunited with friends, exciting activities, warm weather and a break from school. Your child may have been buzzing with excitement during those first few days or weeks but as the excitement wears off, things can change. They might start to say camp is “boring”, say they don’t want to go or you may notice more resistance in the morning. You may notice they are acting more quiet, or just not acting like themselves at the end of the day. The mid-summer slump can be real, which is completely normal. Here are ways to recognize this and support your child through it:
Why the Mid-Camp Slump Happens: Camp, just like anything new and exciting, can lose some of its sparkle over time. When the routine sets in, and the initial novelty wears off, children may start feeling:
Emotionally tired: Long and active days may catch up with them.
Overwhelmed socially: Friendships can be challenging to navigate; cliques, conflicts or feeling left out can start to happen.
Homesick or off-balance: If you have a camper who is away at sleep away camp, the halfway point can bring a new wave of missing home
Less interested: Some campers may start to be over some of the activities as it now feels repetitive.
How to Help Kids Reignite the Spark: If your child is starting to hit the mid-summer slump, with support, they can move through this phase and find the spark at camp again.
Validate their feelings: Start by listening. When your child acts out, is sad and may not know how to articulate what they are thinking, this is a good opportunity to start by listening. Instead of jumping in with solutions, try: “It sounds like this week felt a little harder. Want to tell me a little more about it?” Open-ended questions allows for our child to take time to think about their feelings instead of a closed-ended question, which only allows for them to respond with a one word answer. Acknowledging their experience helps them feel heard and less alone.
Focus on their needs: The summer is hot and can be draining for your child and after each day requires refueling. Make sure your child is drinking enough water each day, getting enough sleep, and has some quiet time built into their routine. Even if your child is having the best time, they still need time to recharge.
Fuel with encouragement and positivity: Take some time to talk to your child about the positive parts of their day every day. This can teach them about positive self-talk and finding the bright side of things. Often times when feeling upset or overwhelmed, it is easy for us to fixate on the negative aspects and taking time to reframe our thoughts and finding the good in the day can change our whole perspective.
Celebrate small wins: Point out the progress for your child. For example, saying, “Remember how nervous you were on day one? Look how far you have come!” Personal victories and reminding our kids of this can create confidence and positive self-esteem.
Mid-camp challenges are a natural part of the summer journey, but they also present valuable opportunities for growth, resilience and renewed excitement for our children. Continue to offer support, encouragement and this can help your child push through the slump and rediscover the joy and connection that camp is all about. Want more tips and tricks? Reach out to us at hello@kaplanpsychotherapylcsw.com today! We are deeply thinking of and holding close all the families affected by the recent tragedies at Camp Mystic, and we send our love and support during this incredibly difficult time.