https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/handling-sensitive-issues-campers-bring-you
Handling the Sensitive Issues Campers Bring to YouWhen You've Earned Your Campers' Trust, You May Get More Than You Bargained For You are out on an overnight hiking trip, sitting around the campfire with your campers and co-counselors, enjoying...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/brain-development-teens
Brain Development and TeensSchool had never been a successful place for 13-year-old Manuel. He never felt smart enough or capable enough or emotionally safe enough to do well in school. For one thing, the "neck up" learning...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/we-knew-it-all-along-vagal-nerve-tone-health-lifelong-benefits-camp
We Knew It All Along! Vagal Nerve Tone and Health and the Lifelong Benefits of CampWe have all seen them — gaggles of teens walking together, each one looking at his or her own mobile phone screen; or couples out at dinner, one checking the e-mails on his Blackberry, the other...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/trenches-weeds
In the Trenches: In the WeedsAt first I didn't see the call. It came to my cell phone from an unfamiliar number at 6:30 one morning in late July. I had been driving since 5:30 on my way to a camp where I was going to be...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/autonomy-mastery-connection-true-gifts-quality-camp-experience
Autonomy, Mastery, and Connection: True Gifts of a Quality Camp ExperienceMaddie, a seven-year-old camper, sits on her bed looking frustrated. Her counselor hovers over her trying to get her to finish tying her shoes so she can join the rest of her cabin as they head for...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/trenches-reflecting-learning
In the Trenches: Reflecting and LearningPeople in medical professions call it a “post mortem” — an unfortunate term that literally means “after death.” People in human services and professional development call it “debriefing,” while the...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/trenches-working-effectively-internally-distracted-campers
In the Trenches: Working Effectively with Internally Distracted CampersDuring a mid-summer visit to a four-week, coed, residential camp, I spoke with the division leader (DL) of the youngest girls and learned about an eight-year-old camper whom I will call Eva. Eva had...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/how-can-you-tell-when-camper-really-ready-camp
How Can You Tell When a Camper Is Really Ready for Camp?Dear Bob, We are a coed resident camp operating in the mountains. It seems that every summer we have campers who aren’t really ready for the demands of group living in what is the intense social...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/staff-support
Staff and SupportHi Bob! I am new to camp life, specifically as a new camp director. I have inherited an administrative staff that grew up at camp and spent many years working with the former director. They all have...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/trenches-plugged-or-unplugged-benefits-each-camp
In the Trenches: Plugged or Unplugged — The Benefits of Each at CampI just got off the phone with the very thoughtful and reflective Jamie Cole, one of the owner/directors of Camp Robin Hood in Freedom, New Hampshire. She wanted to know my thoughts about a new policy...