Top Tips to Help Heal Homesickness

As summer approaches, your child may be experiencing a flood of different emotions related to going away to camp - eager, excited, nervous and anxious about becoming homesick. Research indicates that homesickness is the norm, and not the exception. It is completely normal for campers to feel some level of homesickness at some point during the camp session. The good news is that homesickness builds confidence. Overcoming a bout of homesickness and enjoying time away from home nurtures children’s independence and prepares them for the future. So, how can you help? By exercising a little preparation and patience, parents can help ease any anxiety and homesickness in their otherwise happy campers.

Here are some tips for you to help your child deal with feelings of homesickness and anxiety:

1. Encourage your child’s independence throughout the year. Practice separations, such as sleepovers at a friend’s house, can simulate the camp environment.
2. Involve your child in the process of choosing a camp. The more that the child owns the decision, the more comfortable the child will feel being at camp.
3. Discuss what camp will be like before your child leaves. Consider role-playing anticipated situations, such as picking out clothes in the morning or managing the bedtime routine without parent involvement.
4. Send a note or care package ahead of time to arrive the first day of camp. Acknowledge, in a positive way, that you will miss your child. For example, you can say “I am going to miss you, but I know that you will have a good time at camp.”
5. Don’t bribe. Linking a successful stay at camp to a material object sends the wrong message. The reward should be your child’s newfound confidence and independence.
6. Pack a personal item from home, such as a stuffed animal or favorite pillow.
7. Never ever make a pick-up deal. Saying, “If you feel homesick, we’ll come get you” undermines children’s confidence and ensures they’ll be preoccupied with home from the moment they arrive at camp. Instead of making a pick-up deal, say, “I’m sure that if you miss home, you and your counselor will be able to work together to help you feel better. Camp will be a blast!”
8. Talk candidly with the camp staff to obtain his/her perspective on your child’s adjustment. It is critical that your child is getting the same message from you as well as our camp staff in order to help your child navigate homesickness and work through it.
9. Don’t feel guilty about encouraging your child to stay at camp. For many children, camp is a first step toward independence and plays an important role in their growth and development.
10. Share your optimism, not your anxiety. Talk about all the positive aspects of camp and share your concerns only with another adult, such as your spouse or the camp director. Avoid giving your son or daughter a mixed message by saying something like, “Have a great time at camp. I hope I remember to feed your dog.” Giving your child something to worry about while she’s away will only increase homesickness.
11. Block out the camp dates on a calendar, so your child can put the separation into perspective.

Things to Consider

While many children experience homesickness, most feel much better within a day or two. If you can handle their temporary discomfort, they will probably be able to handle it, too. Homesickness may be more pronounced if the family went through a recent loss or stressful period such as a death of a relative or marital separation. Please make sure that camp staff know if there are any major transitions or changes in the family that may impact your child’s adjustment to camp. Homesickness, while uncomfortable, can make a child feel competent when s/he learns to overcome it. We want to celebrate their ability to overcome these feelings of discomfort and the massive accomplishment of being on their own!

~Becky