Monday, April 12, 2010

Find a Great Teen Camp

By Lonnie Lorenz

While choosing the right Teen Summer Camps may be more complicated than selecting a general interest camp for a younger child, the rewards can be even richer. A teenager is in the midst of an incredible growth spurt. There is a literal physical change that you may see when your teen arrives home, but equally important are the emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social changes that a challenging summer program can produce in a child in this age group.

Although finding the right summer program for teens is different than finding a program for a nine year old, some of the basics are the same: you still want a safe, secure, and appropriate environment. However, teenagers need and are ready for new challenges and greater independence. As your child matures, you may find that you need to reexamine your choice each year as his interests expand.

It is important to keep in mind when choosing a program for teens that the needs, interests, and abilities of a 13 year-old are quite different from that of a 17 year-old. When considering programs, you should also keep in mind your child's maturity as well. Parents often express concern about the level of supervision in many of the programs designed for teens. One great resource is Summer Camp Advice, a free website that offers all sorts of information on how to select a summer camp.

If you're living with a teenager, you're living with part kid and part adult. Planning a summer program in November may be more difficult for an adolescent than a younger child, because your teenager's interests and emotions are going through such enormous changes. However, because many good programs fill up fast, you will want to try to focus early so that you and your child have the widest range of choices.

The best way to start is to sit down and listen to your child. Often you can strengthen your relationship with your teenager. Discuss with your child his interests, concerns, and values. You need to talk with your teen about what each of you want the summer to be. Look for opportunities for personal growth as well as just getting better in a sport. Be ready for " I don't want to do anything."

Their are many teen programs available and its important to try to find the right one. As a parent do not give up right away. Sometimes you have to really look hard to find the right answer. The internet is a very useful tool for this. But it is helpful to know what kind of program you are thinking of. Is it: serving, traveling or adventure or a little of all. One great resource is Summer Camp Advice, a free website that offers all sorts of information on how to select a summer camp.

One of the best ways to reconcile your goals with your child's is to piece together the summer with activities from both of your lists. Although it is more difficult and figuring things out may be more time consuming, your teen will get a broader experience for your work.

If you decide that your teen will choose a local program, it is important to establish summer rules, expectation, chores, and schedules. This will be especially important if this will be the first summer in years that your youngster is spending at home.

A suggestion is to look at Swift Nature Camp for your Teen next summer. Swift Nature Camp is unique among teen summer camps in that we provide teens a special opportunity to make friends in a relaxed and fun-filled environment, to build self-esteem and independence, and to challenge themselves with new physical and creative activities. We realize teenagers want to do things for themselves and are bored by a "normal" camp. So we provide an Adventure Camp program with loads of opportunities cabins often leave camp and go out into the big open wild and see the Apostle Islands, go to the International Wolf Center or find themselves canoeing down the Mississippi River.

Last and most importantly remember youth is limited and no adult ever looked back and recalls the good old days of just watching TV all summer!

TO learn more how to select an Summer Camp visit Summer Camp Advice. Choose a Camp

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