Kevin Gordon

About Kevin Gordon

Posts by Kevin Gordon:

See Other People’s Kids as 3-Dimensional Humans

At Camp Kupugani, our multicultural overnight summer camp two hours west of Chicago and 90 minutes south of Madison here in the beautiful Midwest, each child is treated as an individual. From arrival, each camper is individually recognized whether a first-timer or a 5-year Kupugani veteran. We celebrate and appreciate each child, trying to meet them where they are, while simultaneously challenging them to become even better. Each child deserves to start with a clean slate. Often, one encounters adults saying things along the lines of: “oh, that kid, s/he […]

The American Experience Varies

We are Camp Kupugani–an overnight summer camp 90 minutes west of Chicago. We are in the United States of America, a nation which purports to have equal opportunity for all. Camp Owner/Director Kevin is a brown man. Camp admin Aaron is white (beige-ish really). Their American experience varies. What Aaron can do that Kevin cannot: Without realistic fear of being shot, Aaron can reach into the glove compartment if pulled over by police during a car stop. Aaron can go into any store without the perception or reality of being […]

How We Celebrate & Appreciate Identity

At Camp Kupugani, our Midwest summer camp not far from Madison, Wisconsin (and also convenient to Chicago, Illinois), we strive to help campers celebrate and appreciate themselves and others in all aspects of identity. We intentionally move beyond “clumping” (hanging out only with those who we perceived to be exactly like us) to interact with a variety of people in our cabins, teams, tables, and camp activities. Research shows that early exposure to people that are different than you helps you to become more understanding/welcoming as an adult. We pride […]

3 Ways to Raise a Generous Kid

When children attend Camp Kupugani, our Midwest summer camp 90 minutes south of Madison, we want them to grow at camp and at home, so that they become the best versions of themselves. Please see below for some bullets from a recent Washington Post article on how to raise a generous kid. You can check out the full article here. Model It! Children learn by what they see. Pay for coffee for the person behind you. Be kind to the waitstaff. Say “please” and “thank you.” Be Intentional! Give […]

6 Ways to Avoid Punishing Children for Being Human

At Camp Kupugani, our premier Midwest summer camp (near Chicago), we treat our minor campers with the same respect we treat our adult co-workers, friends, or family. A recent article by the folks at Creative Child brought to light that children are sometimes “Punished for Being Human.” As part of intentional empowerment process, we do not solve problems for our campers; we support them to handle situations at their maturity level. A well-intentioned parental mistake is for one to tell a child, “Stop crying, you are fine!” This can apply […]

13 Ways to Help Our Children Be More Patient and Less Lonely

At, Camp Kupugani, our multicultural overnight summer camp in the beautiful Midwest (and close to Madison, WI, and Chicago, IL), helping our campers feel connected and cared for are top priorities. We do this by facilitating children’s spending time being electronics-free, connecting with peers from different backgrounds and age groups, and enjoying unstructured time in nature. A recent article from Your Modern Family discusses why our children are less focused and more lonely; bullets below, and the rest of the article here. Let kids be bored! Boredom helps your child […]

10 Reasons Pre-Teens Need Less Social Media

Here at Camp Kupugani, our multicultural overnight summer camp about two hours west of Chicago (and less than 90 minutes south of Madison, WI), our campers appreciate the importance of tech-free time. They do this while at camp (and hopefully carry the momentum) to apply this when they get home. There was a recent article from TODAY Parenting Team community discussing why middle schoolers don’t need social media. Check below for bullets and see the full article here! Social media was not designed for children. Snapchat, Instagram all were originally […]

7 Tips to Maximize Your Well-Being

At Camp Kupugani–our multicultural summer camp near Chicago–we’re all about having an awesome life! Each camper and staff member is charged to be their best, striving to live a good life. When coming across this blog post about how to live a long, awesome life, we thought it was cool to summarize and share. Bullets below, with the full article here (from the folks at Barking Up the Wrong Tree). Each one of these 7 steps constitute something that you can start today. Follow that step for two weeks, add […]

Good Intentions & Bad Ideas Setting Up for Failure

At Camp Kupugani, our overnight Midwest summer camp (located two hours west of Chicago), we empower our campers to be independent both at camp and home. While reading a book called Coddling Of the American Mind, camp director Kevin Gordon came across some interesting excerpts. Read below for some ways we as parents inhibit our children’s ability to fend for themselves. Check out the book’s website for more details by clicking here. We should allow our kids to struggle on their own and avoid trying to “fix” or “manage” everything […]

10 Ways to Ease the Homework Struggle with your Child

At Camp Kupugani, our overnight summer camp in the beautiful Midwest (just two hours northwest of Chicago), we recognize that great campers often make great students, who often become great adults. As child development professionals, we recognize that it’s sometimes a challenge to navigate the craziness of parenting! A recent article from the Washington Post elucidated some of the challenges and proposed ten ways to take the struggle out of homework. Kids procrastinate or shut down because they fail to see the relevance of a task, prefer other distractions, or […]

Empowering Children to Minimize the Potential of Abuse

Unfortunately, child abuse occurs with unnecessary frequency in the U.S. A video recently aired reporting sexual abuse at American summer camps. We are concerned to hear of child abuse and appreciate courageous children who report abusive treatment. Indeed, as stated in the video, “parents need to do the work, have the conversation with your children, and be aware.” Our number one priority at camp is the safety of each child. Below are just a few ways we protect your children while at camp and some family resources to minimize the […]

Takeaways from iGen

Kevin Gordon, Director of Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, IL–located two hours west of Chicago–recently read Jean M. Twenge’s iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us. We recommend this iGen book to any parent or potential parent that is struggling with: “When (or should) does my child get a smartphone?”; or “How much daily screen time should my child have?”; or “What harm does excessive screen time do to my child’s […]