Being a Kupugani Camper Shouldn’t Be Easy
We Want Our Campers to Cry (at least once)… and We Won’t “Fix” Your Kid at Camp
Around this time of year, some reflect on the world around them and how to gift their kiddo(s) the experience of camp. If seeking an avenue by which your child can grow in a challenging environment, our Midwest summer camp could be just the thing!
A few important notes about our program: being a Kupugani camper is challenging and hard work… and that’s how we like it. We want our campers to cry… at least once, whether happy tears or those that stem from being challenged. If that seems overly daunting or something you want to avoid at all costs, our camp is likely not a great fit for your child. However, there are other easier camps we would be more than happy to refer you to. We are not considered a “fix” your kid type of camp. If you believe your child needs “fixing”, there may be other options that would be better suited than Camp Kupugani.
Part of the challenge and growth of becoming a responsible and caring human is learning how to do things for yourself. We want our campers to be as self-directed as possible, within a caring community. Our community has rules, some of which are strict. Camper-created rules like “no hurtful language” are noted, can be enforced by anyone in the community, and are taken seriously. Beyond the community guidelines, you’re accountable to the people around you. If you want friends, you need to treat people decently, because no one has to spend time with you. And as a small, family-run camp, we run the camp together. If the cleaning isn’t being done well and camp is a mess, everyone has a part in figuring out a solution. Don’t underestimate the common sense and brilliant innovations that can come from kids of 7, 11, or 15.
Figuring out how to be self-directed is often hard. It takes effort, and it takes time. Kupugani kids have goals and dreams. They have dreams for right now and for the future. Like all of us, often they don’t quite know what they want and might stumble through trying different things, talking to different people, and experimenting with different versions of their best selves.
An annoyance of mine as a camp director is when child-serving adults (maybe a teacher, coach… sometimes a parent or family member) unnecessarily foster bad experiences. Sometimes that can make a child see her/himself as a failure on some level. We don’t. At Camp Kupugani, we see how they may have been failed by some schools and child-serving organizations. There are rules enforced that make it impossible for children to use the bathroom when they need to go. Times when they had to sit when they need to move instead. Being told to be quiet when they needed to learn how to talk to people. Their “failure” is being human and having needs that don’t match up exactly with the practices of certain adults.
We get the occasional parents who come to us in desperation to help their children, but they haven’t given up on their children, either. They’ll tell us “She used to be so curious, and now she isn’t interested in anything,” or “We spend all our time fighting,” or “I’m not going to force him to do things.” If we sense that someone wants us to “fix” who their child is (get them to shape up) or that they consider their child “a failure,” we run the other way.
Our kids run the gamut. Some campers are brilliant; some have been labeled as “dumb” in school. Some have amazing skills or talents; some don’t and try their best. Our camp doesn’t “fix” kids. They are already who they need to be. Our job is to support them, help them find ways to develop and pursue their goals, and often to be good resources as they figure out how to be their best selves.
We want our campers to be successful in the real world, to have satisfying relationships, get jobs, learn new skills, contribute to their communities, and, ultimately, enjoy life. The more we can give them the autonomy to develop the character to accomplish those missions, the better. We give them freedom because we believe in them.
Click the links to learn more about our directors and camp life at Camp Kupugani.