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Try Picturing This:
Photos With Purpose

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OD

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AMY IOW"'

1996 HIGHLIGHTS

• FREE Hot Lunches
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Transportation
provided to S front camp
for Oak Park 6- Southfield!

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leseittrztloms ant k nava Wore Jo u 1st.

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office - 551-9690
home - 96$-1490

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ecently someone asked me
for a copy of a small book-
let I had prepared for each
of my children's b'nai mitz-
vah. Each booklet contained a col-
lection of photographs of that
particular child's life.
As I was putting those artifacts
into an envelope to send off, I
leafed through them. One recur-
rent theme was the pictures of
each child at camp with his bunk
counselor, with his best friend,
with his bunk mates and with the
aides in his unit.
It occurred to me yet again
what a powerful experience camp
can be. It is a time to try new be-
haviors, make new friends and
take risks in ways that only a safe
child-centered environment can
allow.
It is also a time when many
kids see just how powerful a
group can be. Although camp is
a place for kids and one of the
reasons we send them is for
them to try out their personal
life skills, it can be very impor-
tant to talk about how those
camp pictures could develop.
Why not buy one of those little
photo albums (the ones with one
picture per page) and write in
some captions.
In addition, include a dispos-
able camera for pictures with a
purpose:
1. Take a picture of your bunk
lined up shortest to tallest.
2. Take a picture of your bunk
lined up youngest to oldest.
3. Take a picture of the person
you met who came the longest
distance.
The pictures with a purpose
can become a vehicle to find out
new things about bunk mates,

and maybe you could include cap-
tions like, "This was my proud-
est achievement," or "This was
my favorite camp spot."
When the pictures and your
camper come back, look at them
with him/her. Ask lots of ques-
tions and listen to the answers.
The pictures with a purpose not
only help guide your camper's ex-
perience at camp, they give you
great discussion openings.
But picturing can be more
than photography. Before kids go
off to camp, share your own camp
stories if you have them. Your
stories can become "what hap-
pens if' rehearsals. For instance,
what happens if someone in the
bunk has been excluded, if the
group is doing things that at first
seem scary or too hard.
One of the classic horror sto-
ries of camp is about the child
who wears the same underwear
for a month because he/she was
too embarrassed to ask for help
to find the rest in the bottom of
his/her trunk.
The memories and stories we
share with our children can arm
them with good coping skills
when they are facing new and po-
tentially difficult but important
growth experiences. Don't hold
back. Usually kids like to hear
these stories. They can be ex-
tremely reassuring.
Pictures, whether they're pho-
tographs or memories, are valu-
able opportunities to unlock a
wonderful world and help your
very own camper have a suc-
cessful experience. They offer op-
portunities for important
discussion and become wonder-
ful treasures. Don't pass up those
Kodak moments. El