How will you fill your child’s summer? Summer opportunities can help your children develop new interests, open their minds, choose new directions, and make lifelong friends.
by Helene Abrams | Contributor
If your child expresses an interest in going away, encourage that feeling because there is much to be learned from the experience. Length of stay depends on the maturity of your child, but shorter is not necessarily better. Two weeks is definitely better than one. It takes time to learn new skills and build friendships.
Most parents are surprised to learn the many different possibilities for older children, from 6th grade to 12th grade. Community service is often an exciting option. It gives students a new appreciation for who they are by exposing them to new and different cultural experiences. A teenager can help rebuild our communities in need in the U.S. or work at a day camp in the Dominican Republic. These programs satisfy school community service requirements and are often used as the basis for college essays.
Does your teen need to learn to work with a group, stretch limits and gain confidence? An adventure program will develop leadership and communication skills through physical activities such as biking, rock climbing, scuba diving, and kayaking in the U.S. and abroad.
An enrichment program on a college campus—located at many colleges throughout the US and abroad—is specifically designed for high school students who want to explore the feel of college. The summer can be as academic as a teen may want, choosing from courses such as foreign language, psychology, computer science and journalism to cooking, photography or how to interpret dreams.
TIPS ON TRIPS & CAMPS is a complementary service specializing in overnight summer experiences for children ages 7-18. There are 15 consultants world-wide placing thousands of children in overnight programs each summer. The services are free to families.
Editor’s Note: Helene Abrams’ consults with parents at no cost to help match kids to an overnight camp or enrichment program that is right for their tween and teen children. Reach out to Helene at 214.484.8141 or e-mail Helene@TipsonTripsandCamps.com.