https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/nobody-ever-tells-me-anything-communication-camp

Growing up, my sister’s catch phrase could have been, “Nobody ever tells me anything!” because she said it so often. More and more, this sentiment is being shared at summer camp, too. Our camp staff...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/big-eight-other-culinary-menaces-camper-society

“The gluten-free cinnamon rolls are amazing!” Those emphatic words are emblazoned in my brain, stamped into my memory. As tears began to well in her eyes, Annalise, one of our counselors, looked...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/moving-mainstreaming-outsourcing-what-everyone-can-learn-working-different-needs

I run two different camps for kids with different needs, including a resident camp for kids with autism. A concerned parent called to talk about how she wanted her son to be “mainstreamed” in the...

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/campline/medical-marijuana-current-issues-camps

Introduction A call recently came into the American Camp Association (ACA) Crisis Hotline from a member camp: Three adults attended a family camp and brought medical marijuana with them. Upon...

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/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/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/camping-magazine/working-children-special-needs

It is often said by people who mean well that working with children with special needs “requires the patience of a saint.” Not true. What it does require is human compassion — something more of us...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/understanding-cultural-differences-tips-working-international-staff-campers

As the United States population becomes more diverse and camps employ more international staff, the issue of communicating and interacting effectively with people from other cultures becomes more...