Camp Kupugani Blog
4 Tips for Planning a First-Time Camp Experience
Even though it’s winter, it’s not too soon to start considering how to introduce your child to a first-time camp experience. Below are a few easy tips to start the process. If you’re the parent of a prospective first-time camper, consider your goals for your child. Summer is a great time for her (or him) to try new things. Whatever new experience you’d love to introduce, be sure that s/he is involved in choosing a program. That way s/he keeps a sense of control, which helps to ward off any transition […]
7 Parenting Behaviors to Maximize Leadership Potential
At our overnight summer camps near Chicago, we focus on empowering our campers and maximizing their leadership capabilities. I read a recent article on the topic by leadership trainer Kathy Caprino in conjunction with leadership expert Dr. Tim Elmore. Below are some highlights from the piece, framed positively. Let our children experience risk We live in a world that warns us of danger at every turn. The “safety first” preoccupation enforces our fear of losing our kids, so we do everything we can to protect them. We have insulated them from […]
Why Camp Counselors Can Out-Parent Parents
At our overnight summer camp near Chicago, we appreciate the significance of giving children the freedom to learn from others closer to their age. Psychologist Michael Thompson also appreciates that freedom and its positive impact on kids’ intellectual and character growth. As he notes: “Children love to learn, but they get tired of being taught by adults. Children want to learn from older children, and, at a camp that means older campers, C.I.T.’s (counselors in training) and camp counselors. They want to live with them, emulate them, absorb them. In […]
How to Avoid 9 Happiness Mistakes
A recent Huffington Post article emphasizes that, while incorporating “happiness” habits may be a manageable way to integrate joy into our lives every day, we should be mindful of nine potential mistakes we might be making that are detrimental to our overall happiness. Summary below: You’re placing too much emphasis on fulfillment. Concentrating too much on achieving happiness may actually be making you more unhappy. The study found that those who put a higher pressure on themselves to be happy felt more lonely on a daily basis than those who did not. […]
Make a Positive Impact in Your Workplace
At our multicultural summer camp, we try to be intentional about fostering a culturally competent atmosphere that is welcoming to everybody. Here are some good tips, culled from a calendar from the Anti-Defamation League, detailing how you can make a positive impact in your workplace. Offer professional development workshops that help all employees understand and respect individual work and communication styles. Be understanding and supportive of co-workers when they are observing religious and/or cultural holidays. If a co-worker makes an insensitive racial, ethnic or religious comment, respond by respectfully pointing […]
Help Your Children Lead Mindful Online Lives
At our Illinois summer camp, during the summer, we don’t have to worry about our campers being on their phones constantly because they are too busy empowering themselves. However, during their home lives, we recognize that, since electronics are allowed there, that it can be useful to guide young people appropriately. I recently read a good blog entry detailing how to navigate managing tablet and smartphone usage for young teens and pre-teens. Sociologist Christine Carter notes that: “Tech devices are dramatically affecting our kids’ normal social, sexual, intellectual, and emotional […]
It’s Never Too Early to Think About Camp!
Hopefully, you’re enjoying the end of a fantastic year and the impending approach of an optimistic new one. Although 2013 is still with us, it’s not too early to begin planning for next summer’s camp season. Especially since children have a limited window of opportunity in their lives to benefit from camp, the decision to begin a new camp experience should not be put off. We are already accepting 2014 registrations; because our Illinois girls summer camp near Chicago (or our boys program, like other camps) has limited registrations, if […]
Ambivalent Sexism Inventory
At our girls summer camp here in snowy Illinois, at all times of the year, we recognize the value of identity and self-empowerment. A link a friend recently forwarded to me reminds me of the work we have to do as individuals, communities, and yes, even summer camps for girls. See below for more from the link. Every day, the self-esteem of young girls and women are lowered due to the subliminal behavior of others. Test yourself by taking the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory to see your own hidden biases.” “Women — you […]
Thoughts on Fostering Child Independence
If you have seen our recently released video of parent testimonials, you’ll notice a theme that ties them all together–fostering independence. Almost every parent mentions that their child comes back more independent than when they first dropped them off at Camp Kupugani. Outside of camp, children are typically seen as somewhat incompetent beings dependent upon adults, with the expectation that children will eventually gain independence during their young adult years. However, at camp we recognize that, at a younger age, independence not only helps children now and later on in life, but also […]
How to Make an Empowering Plan for the New Year
The new year is approaching for us at our summer camp near Chicago, and for everyone around the world. For those who are resolution makers, here’s a recent article from psychotherapist Maud Purcell on how to make a plan that you can stick to. Highlights include: • Work backward: Start now by clarifying your goal and then envisioning, in precise terms, what you want to have accomplished by the end of 2014. Now work backward to determine the objectives necessary to get there. • Create a schedule: Break down your objectives into […]
Youth Committed to Diversity Education
At our multicultural summer camp, we recognize that children crave global unity, acceptance of each other, and understanding. Here’s a cool video showing how tomorrow’s leaders address language discrimination and the importance of accepting others. While we’re pondering diversity and acceptance, check out this Chicago-based organization, Genesis at the Crossroads which uses arts education to bring cultures in conflict together globally.
Are We Wired to Want Stuff?
With the recent coming and going of the craziness of “Black Friday” and its rampant commercialism…with the holiday season ramping up…with my son in the second grade, exposed to classmate talk about what presents they plan on getting in the next few weeks, it reminded me of an article by social psychologist Christine Carter discussing whether we’re “wired to want stuff.” Like the author, as intentional parents, we want to foster positive emotions like gratitude and altruism-to bring meaning, connection, and positive memories. So how can we do so at this challenging […]