Camp Kupugani Blog
9 Ways to Maximize Development of Social Awareness
At our girls-only and boys-only summer camps in the Midwest, we model and emphasize ways for our campers to maximize the development of social awareness. A recent article by Katie Duper has some great ideas on how to raise a child to develop social awareness. Bullets below, with the whole article at this link. Developing Social Awareness Address privilege — and do it early. Talk to your child about how these differences often make things more difficult for certain groups of people and continue to talk about privilege when real-life […]
6 Ways to Strengthen Your Inner Will
As part of our girls-empowerment and boys-empowerment camps near Chicago, we emphasize ways to develop our inner will. A recent article from Everydayhealth.com lists some good ones. Bullets below, with the whole article at this link. Resolve situations in your life that seem to be on hold Avoid letting others control your will or take advantage of you Reduce or purge acts or attitudes that don’t serve you positively Activate good habits Let go of fears that limit you Start new initatives
Eight Easy Ways to Reduce Your Child’s Screen Time
At our Illinois summer camp, because we don’t allow electronics at camp, it’s pretty easy to limit campers’ screen time. It’s also always interesting year-over-year, seeing returning campers look forward to being electronics-free and liberated from the pressures of having to be “connected” at all times. At home, however, it can often be a challenge to manage (and help kiddos manage) screen time. An article by Lindsey Barton Straus has eight great tips for helping that process. Bullets below, with the full article at this link. Check Yourself Be aware […]
10 Ways to Minimize Anxiety and Conquer Your Fears
As part of our girls-empowerment and boys-empowerment camps near Chicago, we emphasize ways to conquer our fears and minimize anxiety. A recent article from Business Insider lists some good ones. Bullets below, with the whole article at this link. Conquer Fear Slowly expose yourself to the things you’re afraid of, so they’re no longer unfamiliar to you. Spend time with your friends. Exercise to protect yourself against the effects of stress, which include anxiety and fears. Reframe anxiety as excitement so that you can devote more energy and resources to […]
Teach Your Teenager about Non-Stranger Rape
At our girls-only and boys-only camps in the Midwest, we teach our campers, and enforce, the rule of 3—whereby a child is never to be alone with an adult. I’m not sure why this rule isn’t mandatory at all schools, religious institutions, and anywhere where children and adults interact…but that’s a topic for another day. Part of the reason my wife and I taught our child about ownership of his body from an early age, is so he didn’t run the risk of being abused. Other parents think along the […]
Son of Jamaican Immigrants Tells His Tale
Originally posted in the Chicago Tribune on April 29, 2008 Kevin Gordon is the Canadian-born son of Jamaican immigrants. He has lived half of his 40 years in Canada and half in America. He has the unique perspective of seeing how both countries have handled and mishandled race. This is Kevin Gordon’s essay about immigrants: Over the years, I’ve been a bartender, furniture mover, bus driver, blackjack dealer, and garbage man. I’ve traveled to Europe, Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. I have a BA from Harvard University, […]
6 Ways to Become Well-Liked
At our Midwest summer camp, we focus on individual empowerment. Just as our campers maximize fun and sociability at camp, a recent blog by Lolly Daskal reinforces some ways that help one maximize sociability and become well-liked. See below for bullets, with the whole article at this link to become more well-liked. Well-Liked Traits Be positive and encouraging. An attitude of positivity and praise goes a long way. People are drawn to positivity. Have fun! Seriously. Be sensitive to what’s going on around you; there will be times your playful […]
10 Tips to Get your Kids through the Holidays
Around this time of year, it is important for parents to maintain their sanity while also continuing to be intentional about the life lessons their children learn. I recently came across an article by Amy Joyce, editor of On Parenting column for the Washington Post containing some great tips on thriving during the holiday season. The whole article is at this link with bullets below. Have them help with meal preparation. Take them with you when you shop for the holiday meal and ask for their input there and in the […]
5 Ways to Become a Lighthouse Parent
Child psychologist (and fellow Expert Online Training guru) Caren Baruch Feldman wrote a recent piece describing the challenges of mindful parenting, specifically about how to sufficiently guide children yet give them enough leeway to foster their independence. “Lighthouse parenting” allows children to ride the waves, while providing sufficient guidance so they don’t crash into the rocks. Being a lighthouse parent differs from “helicopter parents” who are constantly hovering anxiously overhead (or snowplow parents who would remove the rocks from the ocean). Bullets below, with the whole piece available at this […]
4 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Give Back
Especially as the holiday season with its accompanying bombardment of ads and other enticements to folks to buy buy buy, it’s a good time to be mindful of encouraging our children to give back. A recent Washington Post blog by Amy Joyce has some tips from the Family Dinner Project, a grassroots movement to encourage eating well and talking over dinner about things that really matter, about how to encourage children to give back. Text or call someone you appreciate. Talk about people your family appreciates, then take the time to […]
6 Ways to Be a Better Parent
We value working with our campers’ parents at our summer camp near Chicago, Illinois. Just as we continually strive to improve our camp experience via counselor training and continually reviewing our program, we recognize that our parents also seek to be a better parent for their children. A recent article offers some good tips on how to be a more “intentional” parent. Bullets below, with the whole article by Susan Swann available at this link. 1. Be consistent. Be consistent with how you reinforce the implementation of your values. Remember […]
9 Things to Do Before Bed to Maximize Your Well Being
At our summer camp outside of Chicago, Illinois, we recognize the importance of goal setting and positive psychology to maximize one’s well being. A recent article details 9 steps you can take each night to do the same for yourself. Summaries below, with the whole article by Jacquelyn Smith available at this link. 1. Read. Experts agree that reading is the very last thing most successful people do before going to sleep. 2. Make a to-do list. Clearing the mind nightly means cluttered thoughts don’t end up invading your head space during the night. 3. Spend […]