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7. arrange a pre-visit. find out if the
day
camp
offers an open house prior to season start up. open houses are a good time to gather information, so make sure to jot down any questions you have before leaving home. if your questions are not addressed during this time, ask to speak with someone before securing your deposit. coreil says, ?some summer
camp
s are not open and/or set up for
camp
year-round, so, visiting a location is not always possible. however, it is a very good idea to do your research! look at the facility?s website and facebook or send them an email.? 8. fill out forms. organize all relevant information concerning your
child
?s health and history. when it comes to medical forms, be thorough and specific. if your
child
was on a medication during the school year but will be taken off of it for the summer, make sure the
camp
is aware of this as it could cause an extreme change in behavior. insect and food-related allergies should be listed too. equally important is to share other concerns, such as if your family is going through a divorce or has experienced a recent death, as this may affect how your
child
interacts throughout the
day
. remember,
camp
s look out for both the physical and emotional needs of your
child
, so the more information you provide, the better equipped they will be. you will also be asked to fill out an emergency contact form which lists another designated individual to call if you cannot be reached in the event of an accident or illness. while it is imperative to have an appointed individual, equally important is that the person knows she has been designated as such. one problem of many
camp
s is that emergency persons listed are not aware they are ?on call.? parents should check with emergency contacts listed before writing the name down. 9. know a
camp
?s policies & procedures. ask for a list of the
camp
?s policies, procedures and planned activities. ?e summer will run smoother if you and your
child
know what to expect and what is expected of you. most
camp
s have a weekly schedule so parents know what the upcoming activities are. talk with your
child
about what is planned. if she cannot participate due to health reasons, make sure you (not your
child
) inform the
camp
. ?a
day
camp
should have a good variety of activities and good communication with parents. taking a large group and immediately getting them to participate in games, crafts, field trips, and swimming is difficult. ?ere might be a few misplaced items or forgotten things along the way. but these are normal and part of the process. however, if your
child
is unhappy, afraid, and not looking forward to
camp
,
camp
conundrums are you swimming in a sea of possibilities as you search for the perfect summer
camp
for your
child
? put your goggles away and use the 90 percent rule when making decisions about
camp
! the rule is simple: present a challenge to your
child
only if you are 90 percent sure his or her experiences will be successful.
child
ren build healthy self-esteem when they overcome obstacles. the 90 percent rule represents near certainty, with only a small chance of failure. parental instinct and judgment are very important in using the rule. if your
child
is feeling unsure or anxious about the experience, listening to those instincts is often the best way to go. parents should talk with the director to solve the problem so your
child
can move on to having a great summer,? says coreil. in recent years, many
day
camp
s have developed strict policies about leaving technology items?cell phones, handheld games and other tech toys?at home. ?eir philosophy is that
day
camp
s are designed to be enriching experiences and the
child
ren should be engaging in these activities rather than playing with electronics. if restricted items are brought to
camp
, they may be confiscated and returned at the end of the
day
in hopes the
child
gets the message. 10. keep the line of communication open. talk about
camp
before it even starts. reassure your
child
of the positive experience he will have. at the end of each
camp
day
, find a block of uninterrupted time where you can listen as he shares his adventures. ask what he liked about
camp
and if there were any things he didn?t like. if he is having a hard time articulating what happened, break it down by activities: ?what crafts did you do?? ?did you play any outdoor games that involved balls or running?? ?who did you sit with at lunch?? encourage your
child
to do his best and be respectful of others, and he?ll have a great time. ? april 2016 | brparents.com 63
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