In my last blog post (http://blog.campchampions.com/improvements-at-camp), I described some of camp’s biggest physical improvements over the past few years and gave a sneak preview of improvements and additions that are yet to come. We love our location and property here in Marble Falls. One of the best things about camp is all the cool things you can do as a camper – climbing, swimming, ziplining, skiing, horseback riding, and more.

EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE TECHNIQUES FOR CHILDREN: Part 2

This Blog is Part of our Counselor Training Series, see note below*

[In Part 1, we discussed how we train counselors to approach discipline and how to recognize the root causes of misbehavior. Now we discuss how to address misbehavior after it happens.]

How Our Summer Camp Counselors Address Discipline

If the purpose of discipline is to teach better alternative behaviors, then the best approach is to start by asking questions.

The common response to a disciplinary situation is for an adult to want to talk to the perpetrator and immediately explain why that behavior is not acceptable. This stems from good intention, but completely fails to take into account the processes occurring in the child's brain.

Effective Discipline Techniques for Children

The Purpose of Discipline: Part 1

Dealing with Discipline at Summer Camp

The first priorities at camp are always to encourage the growth of our campers and make sure that they are having as much fun as possible, so discipline can be a tricky thing to handle. Most of our efforts at maintaining good behavior are directed at prevention. Counselors who use best practices are typically able to help limit misbehavior. These best practices include: 

1. Leading from up close
2. Establishing rules early
3. Building individual relationships
4. Offering plenty of positive feedback

No matter how good the counselor, though, at some point in a three week term boundaries are going to be pushed, feelings are going to get hurt, and rules are going to be broken. Those things are a part of the process of growing up.

We want to share our process for training our counselors how to address these situations, so that you can be confident that they are being handled appropriately, whether or not your child is involved.

Strategies for Addressing Homesickness

**This is a continuation of our Counselor Skills Series, where we share some of the specific training we do with our counselors to make sure that your children enjoy the benefit of getting to know exceptional role models while at camp. You can find the other articles in this series here: The First 48 Hours, Confidence, and Discipline.

Homesickness can be a very normal part of the camp experience, especially for first time campers. It can feel unsettling to be thrust into a new environment with unfamiliar people, and it probably should. Chris Thurber has found that 95% of campers experience some homesickness, but only a tiny proportion experience unrelenting homesickness.

Overnight Camp Success: The First 48 Hours

**This is a continuation of our Counselor Skills Series, where we share some of the specific training we do with our counselors to make sure that your children enjoy the benefit of getting to know exceptional role models while at camp. You can find the other articles in this series here: Homesickness, Confidence, and Discipline.

Getting Ready for Summer Camp

One of the ways that we ensure a successful term for each of our campers and counselors is a very purposeful approach to the first 48 hours of each camp term. Beginning at 2pm on Opening Day, the first 48 hours contributes heavily to the trajectory that the rest of the term will follow. If a counselor can help a camper feel at home, connected, and engaged during that “try out period”, it is much easier for that camper to feel comfortable, make friends, and enjoy activities for the rest of camp.