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':WIEL SUEEP-AWAY CAMP 'CREATE SEPARATION ANXIETY?
Dear· Dr:.Gorn: Our ·S-year-iold ,da4gh· ter came: bome ·from school.and
.. imormeihus ,that -she woilld Iike~to gOlto ,s!eep~awa.Y· ciJinp;,with'her
. best'friend. 'He~ remarks:surprised
.... ,_ .... .- .,me,.as',we:had.not eveFdiscusseihhe' iCIea;ofher,spendingtime
.. awaYifrom :ho~e .. MYihusband .and .Uiave:mixed feelings-<abouUtiis, 'so we are··hoping:you:can
| . | . |
help .. My' husbaniLatteniled ~sleep.away;camp_as
a' child, :and,:he:is :in.:favor:of:our daughter"hav ·iilg;this experience:·However, ·1, never:attended.a 'sleep.,awa.y 'calTJp , "so: "am :more ·reluctant and unsure ,if.she'should;go, ,especially.:at:thisage. I am .worried . about;ouL d·a ughter; becoming ·home sick.'a·nd not wanting:to ·stay.the entire time. My husband .says' that ida irly,:typical. for.firStotime campers. I :would ,feel.terrible if ·our daughter was unhallP'yand'we:could noLbe there to· con sole.her. What.should.we do?
There are.severaJ.issues here to sort
. out, First,berore sitting down and openly sharing your thoughts with your daughter, you md .your husbmd.need to have:a pri vate discussion. Here are a series of ques tions to help youmd your husbmd make a decision that addresses both or your concerns.
First of alL has your daughter had any experience sleeping all'.ray.Ir!Jm home: per haps 'with scouts or at a friend's home? If
tio"n? 'Were there any changes ID:her behavibr.orattiiude:toward-you:and·:.her .. fathen.vhen·,you:piclced -her .upthe,next :inorning?Was,~he;,able,to eujb¥~el'se1f? Did.:She' appear :anxious' or .. exliibitdiffi culty :in·.say.ing,gc:iod~bye?Atimy'time, g.id'you"perc~iv:e,emdticinal.·distress ;in.the transition? !If:so,.~hat·was .";it? 1£ ,your daughter has:not'spent :much ·tirD.e· away from'yom.:home, :you;may'.wantto:build in some' sleep"'over, experiences 'berore making your decision:
Take ·some· time to imagine how :you .see
·your·daughierhandling this experience,Is she cogriitively,-socialfy:and emotionally ready to:make·the.tranSition and spend time'in another setting,lmowing.her motherland father.- cannot be there?
MaI!y·cl:ril9ren:.~d ~,the' summer experi ence.highly enjoyable; while otherclrii~ . dren:imagine' they would love to. spend time away from home, but.in .. actuality, find themselves anxious and unable ,to enjoy thernselvesonee·reality hits and their parents are far away. Your child's reaction in large part ,will be derived from the messages you co=unicate tp her, both verbally and nonverbally. Nonverbal cues iq.clude your racial reaciions, body language, voice tone and overall sense of comiort or lack of comiort about this sub ject, Your daughter may sense your uneaSiness or uncertainty and react to your nonverbal cues by being less com fortable once she is away.
Berore you can decide whether yom daughte! should. attend sleep-away campf
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