Set-up for success with homesickness
Set-up your child up for success if you think they will feel homesick. Homesickness tends to happen in the first 24 hours. We be sure to be busy with your camper during those crucial 24 hours. Here are 4 ways you can help your child conquer homesickness.
- If this is your child’s first time coming to Phantom Ranch and/or away from home for an extended time, please consider scheduling a visit and tour before arrival day.
- If you plan on sending mail/notes to your child, please consider writing how much you are looking forward to hearing about all the fun they experienced instead of letting them know how much you miss them. See the sample letter below.
- Please inspire your child to stay all week. Campers who have been told they only have to make a few days, typically only make it a few days.
- It is OK and good to talk about homesickness while still at home. Talking about what they might miss while away from home followed by encouragement to have new experiences and to make connections to with camp will help them navigate their feelings. Encourage your child to tell their cabin counselor if they are feeling homesick.
- Many campers conquer homesickness by writing letters home. We can provide envelopes and stamps, but it is easier if you send your child with some writing paper, pre-addressed envelopes and stamps.
Phantom Ranch has several proven methods for dealing with homesickness, especially among our younger campers. These include keeping the camper occupied, engaging them in activities, building anticipation toward future fun in the schedule, finding connections with what they are missing with what is available at camp, and talking about what is causing the feelings of homesickness. Oftentimes, a short conversation about what is being missed, helps campers cope.
When the Program Director feels it may be helpful, we call a parent to talk about additional solutions. After this conversation, we may have the camper talk to the parent. However, in our experience, this conversation can make the situation worse.
Send letters and gifts to help with homesickness
- Mail your child a letter. Avoid telling them what they are missing out on at home. Instead, tell them how excited you are that they are participating in camp and that you look forward to hearing about it on Friday. See the sample letter below.
- Send a gift in the mail such as stuffed animals, glow sticks, and their favorite snacks.
- You may drop off letters and gifts on arrival day. Please have them marked which day your child should receive each item. Mail is delivered to their cabin during downtime.
Phantom Ranch Bible Camp
c/o [camper’s name]
W309S10910 County Road I,
Mukwonago, WI 53149
The parent might experience “childsickness”
While your child is away, you might experience “childsickness.” This is normal, and it is good to miss your child while they are away. Some ways to cope with missing your child include distracting yourself with activities you like to do but are hard when your child is around, using the camp session schedule to build anticipation and questions to ask them when you pick them up, and follow along with what is happening at camp on Facebook and/or Instagram. Our aim on social media is to show all the fun we are having. We do not take requests for showing pictures of individual campers.
If parents come to visit or desire to speak to their camper on the phone during the week (especially younger campers), the camper usually gets more homesick and their camp experience is diminished.
Parents have every right to visit or talk to their children, and we would not do anything to hinder this right. We believe campers enjoy going home after a week of experiencing everything camp has to offer. This includes the cabin experience, being with and making new friends, encountering God through evening Chapels, and being outside in God’s Creation.
Our staff are well qualified and trained to meet your child’s needs. If you have any questions about homesickness, please talk our Program Director, Dan Mayer, when you arrive. Thank you for choosing Phantom Ranch as your child’s summer camp destination!