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Photo: Centauri Summer Arts Camp
For many parents, providing camps with information pertaining to certain health or family issues
is unnecessary, however, for many camp professionals, full disclosure is the only way to ensure
a child receives the best shot at having a memorable and positive camp experience
By JACK KOHANE
E
veryone agrees that a successful munication,” says Dave Graham, director the appropriate measures and ensure
summer camp experience isn’t of Camp Kandalore located in Minden, their counsellors are sensitive to a
achieved by half-way measures. Ont. “It’s important for us to have as camper’s special issues.
But when the issue of information ex- much information as possible for each For most camps, being proactive, not
change between parents and camps arises, camper. A child doesn’t always leave reactive, is the best course of action.
the question most often asked is: How everything about home at home when Building open communication with
much is enough? they come to camp.” parents most often begins with a camp’s
According to camp professionals from Some kids may be too reserved or shy website or its brochure, says Barrie Mac-
across the country, one sure way of en- to voice what’s troubling them and that Gregor, executive director of the 35,000-
hancing the chances for campers having a puts a camp at a disadvantage, notes square-foot YMCA facility in Yarmouth,
positive experience is for parents to pro- Graham. He adds: “If we’re told about a N.S., and who oversees the organization’s
vide their camp of choice with full dis- child’s challenges before she or she ar- 30-acre Camp Wapomeo summer facili-
closure of relevant information, such as rives at the camp gate, we can prepare to ties east of the city.
allergies, special needs, behavioural issues deal with the situation.” When registering for this “Y” camp, a
and family matters. Matters surrounding a child’s health, comprehensive and confidential health
“Camps generally see themselves as including allergies and physical or emo- and abilities history form must be filled
partnering with parents in the healthy de- tional difficulties, are of critical impor- out. It asks about the camper’s sleeping
velopment of their children, and a huge tance. Graham emphasizes that camps habits (e.g., normal, frequent or occa-
part of an effective action plan in this need maximum advance information sional bedwetting, nightmares and sleep-
process is maintaining open lines of com- about the camper, so they can implement walking), eating habits (e.g., hearty, fussy,
16 Canada Camps for Parents January 2010 Edition
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