https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/nurturing-campers-psychological-needs

Highly regarded child, adolescent and family therapist, and regular contributor to Camping Magazine since 1987, Bob Ditter will be speaking at the 2015 ACA National Conference. In an...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/what-camp-staff-can-do-help-children-excerpt-homesick-happy

Dear Colleagues, When I sat down to write my new book, Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow, I wanted to answer three questions: 1) Why is it...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/when-staff-mesh-impacts-camp

Everyone has a mental, emotional, social health (MESH) profile. For most of us, our MESH profile is within a “normal” range. Some days are better than others. Some things push our buttons, others don...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/campline/child-sexual-abuse-liability-issues-revisited

Introduction We and others have written previously for the American Camp Association (ACA) on matters pertaining to child sexual abuse and neglect. As long as even one child is the victim of abuse...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/there-reason-understanding-challenging-behavior

I once worked with cat. Not a “meow” cat, although that’s how she identified herself to me. She was a thirteen-year-old girl who insisted she was a cat. You can imagine how hard it was for her at...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/campline/important-information-regarding-revisions-aca-standards

A key role of the American Camp Association's National Standards Commission (NSC) is to regularly review and update (as needed) the ACA standards. Standards Revisions After an 18-month process...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/family-camp-impacts-family-functioning

Introduction Families are a foundational structure of society that play a critical role in the health and well-being of communities. Every aspect of the American family is experiencing change,...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/parents/preparing-children-summer-camp-experience

"Summer camp is more than a vacation for children," says Bruce Muchnick, Ed.D., a licensed psychologist who works extensively with day and resident camps. "As a parent, there are a few things to...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/parents/new-thinking-needed-helping-kids-avoid-or-cope-homesickness

ANN ARBOR, MI 2010 — A new report urges parents and children's doctors to change their thinking about homesickness among children, to see it as a nearly universal but highly preventable and treatable...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/parents/5-reasons-why-great-parents-send-their-kids-camp

My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. Two weeks later, she came home transformed. She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved,...