Posts Tagged 'Letters to camp'

Beat the Mid-Summer Slump

One of our kids, a counselor, came home about 2 weeks ago and the excitement was obvious – great campers, lots of exciting things happening at camp, bubbly anticipation of the second 3 1/2 week session etc. Then they came home 2 days ago and while happy, were a bit more subdued.  Happy and content but subdued. I wondered what was happening… were they still enjoying their summer? Yes, of course they were, but more quietly.

I bet you’ve experienced the same thing from your full-summer campers
(ie kids who stay for the whole summer).

Continue reading ‘Beat the Mid-Summer Slump’

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Send a Book to Your Camper

#GirlsCanWrite

Summer with a TwistMeredith and the Mean Girls

Every year parents labor over what goodies to send their kids in a care package.  Stickers? Card games? Stationery? Pens? Autographable pillowcases? Candy (if allowed by the camp)? Ah the possibilities are endless (and several are available in the Letters to Camp Store powered by Amazon).

How about this: send your camper a book, written by a kid like them. As it turns out, I am acquainted with two such authors, Citra Tenore (age 12) and Maddie Siegel (who wrote her book when she was age 9).

(See important note at the bottom of this post)

Continue reading ‘Send a Book to Your Camper’

Sharing Current Events

Share current events from home.  The last ten days have provided unique opportunities to share soccer, political news, space news and more.

 
In the hustle and bustle of the school year, itnews-back-home can be hard to share a special moment with your child.  And if it seemed hard when they were home, you’d think it would be just about impossible when they weren’t even at home. And yet, letters – and emails – give you a unique opportunity to share experiences with your camper in a very personal way.

Let me explain.

Let’s go back to, say April. It’s 5:30 pm and you’re sitting down for dinner.  Your kids come running to the table, rushed because one needs to eat fast so she can hurry back upstairs to study for a test, another can’t wait to text with their friend and the third child keeps stealing glances at their iPhone (which is supposed to be off the dinner table!) all through the meal.  You barely serve the mashed potatoes before the kids start to get antsy and before you know it, another meal is over. It’s pretty hard to get air time to discuss, school, what’s new, and especially world events.

A whole new ball game

But when you’re writing letters to camp, it’s a whole new ball game.  Sure you need to tell your son how the Red Sox are doing (not good), keep them updated on the weather (rainy), etc. BUT your letters also provide the perfect opportunity to mix in a bite-size dose of current events, science, and sports, as the last 10 days have shown. Continue reading ‘Sharing Current Events’

Write Better Letters, From the Experts, part I

expert-advice-letters-to-campA variety of resources can help you to write the best letters to your sleepaway campers.  Today we’ll look at a few national organizations as well as summer camps themselves.  In part II (tomorrow), we’ll look at what parenting experts and bloggers have to say.

Continue reading ‘Write Better Letters, From the Experts, part I’

Kids Joke Sites

Humor: the top challenge when writing to kids at summer camp

kids-jokes-letters-to-camp

Did you know that writing funny letters to kids at summer camp is the top challenge for letter-writers? The good news: relief is sight…

One of the best ways to amuse your summer camper is to include a joke or two in your letters and emails.  Following is our updated list of kids joke sites, most of which have clean jokes that you can send to your younger campers.

Jokes are like a gift that keeps on giving: once you share a joke with your camper, they can share it with their friends too.  And it will give you something to talk in your letters as well. Continue reading ‘Kids Joke Sites’

Relax!

Recipe for a Great First Letterrecipe-for-a-great-letter-to-camp-3

That very most dreaded Monday morning has arrived. Not because of work. Or the start of another week. Or that important appointment. Or because your in-laws are stopping by.  No, today is dreaded because you have to write YOUR VERY LETTER TO YOUR OVERNIGHT CAMPER!

You Can Do It!

I know the feeling. And it’s OK, you can do this.  Of course you can! (Yay you!)

Every Monday, campers’ parents and family people desperately search for tips on how to write letters to their sleepaway campers. But it’s OK, because letter writing (do people actually do that still?) is easier than you may think.  Read on for the recipe for great letters. Continue reading ‘Relax!’

Txting Lttrs 2 Cmp

Sometimes, to do something different, sometimes you have to do something less. Less typing, less writing – i.e., fewer letters. As in fewer alphabet letters.

Abbreviations can be a god-send for parents with way too much to share in just one page (that’s the limit at our camp). And kids love the texting abbreviations they use with their friends too. Not that they’ll want to share with you.  But they may get a kick out of an abbreviated email from you. Or not. But you won’t know until you try… WTG (way to go)!

Check out the sample letter (with translation) below:

The Letter

DD,

Sup?  We’re having a good summer so far IMHO – even though it’s lonely without u.  WBU?  How is camp?  R u having fun meeting new kids?  What’s ur favorite activity?

OATUS, Sparky the dog was chasing his tail last night and it was so funny Dad and I were ROFL. LOL, it was funny!  SFSG with his potty training – no mess yet. LOL!

BTW, IDK about u, but IDC if I ever have turnips again because they are gross!  JK – As if I’d ever ever eat turnips!

JTLYK, Dad and I are going on a trip to NYC next week to see what it’s like to be in a small city.  LOL. OMG I am so funny.  NM, that was lame.  Wuteva… Anywho, we’re GTG, so I’ll say bibi.  BISLY

CYA, er CUL8R

IMHO

We love you. TTYL

XOXOXOX

Mom

B4 I forget – wtg on winning the swim meet!

The  Translation

Dear Daughter,

What’s up?  We’re having a good summer so far in my humble opinion – even though it’s lonely without you.  What about you?  How is camp?  Are you having fun meeting new kids?  What’s your favorite activity?

On a totally unrelated subject, Sparky the dog was chasing his tail last night and it was so funny Dad and I were rolling on the floor laughing. Laugh-out-loud, it was funny!  So far, so good with his potty training – no mess yet. Laughing out loud!

By the way, I don’t know about you, but I don’t care if I ever have turnips again because they are gross!  Just kidding – as if I’d ever ever eat turnips!

Just to let you know, Dad and I are going on a trip to NYC next week to see what it’s like to be in a small city.  Oh my god I am so funny.  No matter, that was lame.  Whatever… Anywho, we’ve got to go, so I’ll say bye bye.  But I still love you.

See you, er see you later

We love you. Talk to you later

XOXOXOX

Mom

B4 I forget – way to go on winning the swim meet!

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