8 Ways To Ensure a Positive Summer Camp Experience: SouthFlorida.com

Camp for me was a grand experience. Every summer, I would step onto the big yellow bus and begin my weeklong adventure. Where else could I swim, fish and play all day?

Some parents put their kids in day camps because they need to work. Others choose overnight camps believing it will help boost their child's level of independence. Still others need to keep their little ones occupied and hope that camp will bring some sanity to the summer months. Whatever your reason, there are many ways to ensure that both you and your child have a positive summer camp experience.

1. Recognize the benefits of sending your child to camp. It is important that we teach our children to believe in themselves. Camps provide countless activities that help them gain awareness of their strengths, skills and capabilities. At overnight camps, children have the opportunity to live with others, teaching them to deal with conflict and tolerate differences. Campers often discover that they can -- without the constant help of their parents -- resolve many issues on their own.

2. Do your homework. Check out the "Summer Camp" link on the South Florida Parenting Web site, www.sfparenting.com. This feature helps parents search local camp listings by city, activity or camp name. Contact camps to request references, or ask other parents about their experiences. Do your research on councilor qualifications (including CPR/first aid), activities that will be offered and affordability. Look for a licensed, well-respected camp that will best suit your child.

3. Let your child help in the decision-making process. After you have looked at affordable and interesting options, narrow it down to a few choices. Then let your child help decide which camp they like best. Empowering them from the start will give them a great reason to get excited.

4. Talk about camp in a practical and positive way. Don't use camp as a threat or say that you can't wait for them to start, even if it is jokingly. Remember, words can hurt. Let them know that summer camp can be an amazing experience, full of wonderful and lasting friendships. If your child does express anxiety, be sure to listen to and address their concerns.

5. Prepare your child beforehand. Take care to approach the topics of budgeting, personal hygiene and peer pressure before sending your child to camp. For younger children, try to facilitate some short separations prior to the start of the program. For overnight campers, send a comfort item such as a teddy bear, pillow or blanket to help with the transition.

6. Get to know the staff. Ken Evans, the executive director of Camp Live Oak -- which has two locations: one in North Miami at Oleta River State Park and one in Fort Lauderdale at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park -- suggested, "Parents and children should really try to meet up with the director or the main councilors prior to the start of camp to help them feel more comfortable. They can do this by either arranging a tour or by attending an open house. This way, on the first day, children have a familiar face to greet them. Parents can, at the very least, have their children look at the camp's Web site prior to arrival. It can also be really helpful if kids can attend spring camp for a few days. Then they have a few days of experience before summer camp begins."

7. Don't let your child sense your unease. In the right camp, your camper will receive encouragement and instruction from a wide variety of caring adults. This is where "doing your homework" ahead of time becomes really important because you need to feel comfortable with the option that you have chosen. Boca Raton-based child and family therapist Monica Schaly said, "If the parents feel anxious it can sabotage the whole experience. The first thing is that the parents be ready and that they feel this is the right thing for the child. Parents really need to be congruent in what they feel and what they say."

8. Avoid teary goodbyes. Your child may be having trouble holding back their tears, so try to stave off your own until you are alone. If your child does start to cry, let them know that you understand that new things can be scary. Reassure them that they are going to have a great time and that camp is a safe and positive place. Try not to prolong the conversation. If need be, ask a member of the staff to help your child make the first step. "Councilors will call you on your cell if your child is still crying 20 minutes later," Evans said. "You have to learn how to trust the teacher, to give your kids a kiss goodbye and to walk away." The bottom line is that camp can and should be the place where our children learn, explore, grow and have fun. I spoke to one happy camper, my husband, and asked him for his favorite memories. He said, "Well, I remember my least favorite part of camp. It was the last day. Saying goodbye."

Previously a preschool teacher and nanny, Heidi Perez is now a mother of two and freelance writer living in South Florida.