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life lessons learned at
overnight
camp
by janeen lewis a sk anyone who has ever been to
overnight
camp
about his or her experience, and you will hear endless tales of comradery, cabin mates, and
camp
fires. many times,
camp
ers will say
overnight
camp
was the first time they rode a horse, shot a bow and arrow, or flew down a zip line. it?s where they learned to make their beds and keep their belongings tidy in cramped quarters. with the perfect blend of adventure and responsibility,
camp
life teaches
kids
valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. if you send your child to
overnight
camp
, here are some life lessons they are likely to learn. how to communicate face-to-face. tom rosenberg, president and chief executive officer of the american
camp
association, says today?s youth spends so much time on technology that learning to communicate face-to-face with their peers is important. rosenberg quotes a 2015 pew research center study that says, ?just 25 percent of teens spend time with friends in person outside of the school day on a regular basis.? in light of that statistic,
overnight
camp
is a good place to get
kids
to socialize without technology. ?about 90 percent of
camp
s don?t allow
kids
to have computers or cell phones,? says rosenberg. ?in general,
camp
s are an oasis for human-powered socialization.? how to be independent. for many children,
camp
is the first time they are away from parents and the familiarity of home. while this may cause some homesickness, it also gives children an opportunity to overcome being homesick. and without parents there, children learn to pick up after themselves and keep up with their things.
overnight
camp
can also prepare students for independence in their next steps in life, like trips abroad and college. how to be a part of community living. sometimes it?s hard to live with other people, especially if other people drape their clothes over your bed or hog the shower. and it?s not like
kids
can escape to their own room when they are at summer
camp
because everyone bunks together in one cabin. but
kids
can learn to work out differences they may have about how they share their living spaces, and it?s more fun for
camp
ers to do the cabin chores together than alone. as they grow up,
kids
have to learn to work in groups in their communities, and the cabin atmosphere helps with that. 5 4 b r p a r e n t s . c o m | m a r c h 2 0 1 9
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