The calendar must be playing with my mind. As the flood of summer camp registration forms started to fill my mailbox I made a mad dash to my calendar to confirm we were still in April.
Although summer is still months away, the majority of folks I talked to had already finalized their summer camp schedule. A quick call to a few of the camps confirmed it.
Good news, bad news
Moving on to middle school means that with a few exceptions summer camps are out for most adolescents. No more clamoring for the coveted spots at the city's favorite art camp. That's the good news.
The bad news: you have a lot of time to fill in your child's schedule now that she isn't going to camp.
Tips for the adolescent who is to hip to play with younger kids this summer:
- Consider a junior counselor or C.I.T. (counselor in training) spot. These openings go quick so pose the idea to your child in the coming days if you think she may have an interest. Taking on a new role of becoming the cool counselor at one of their favorite childhood camps is an acceptable transition in the mind of most adolescents.
- Visit the book store. At least once (preferably two to three times) before summer vacation begins take a trip to your local book store or library. Encourage your child to peruse the magazine section for a few titles. The only expectation is that one of the titles he selects must focus on a potential new interest. The goal of this activity is to generate excitement in the pursuit of a new interest.
- Explore volunteer and internship opportunities. A quick trip through the local business area may yield a few possibilities for service during the summer months. Find a business or organization within walking distance and earn bonus points. The payoff for you is that your child can take further responsibility by getting himself out the door with enough time to walk/jog to his daily volunteer commitment.
Bonus tip: Don't wait. In answer to the question, "How soon should we starting planning for the summer?" I say, "Remember my story about summer camp registration." If the stress surrounding summer camp sign-ups doesn't move you to take action, nothing will.
