camps.

Grins are in at

Time To Reconnect

With kids at camp, summer can be
good for Muddah and Fadduh, too.

Nina Polien Light
Special to the Jewish News

2 YEARS - KINDERGARTEN BOUND

2, 3 & 5-MORNING PROGRAMS
3 OR 5 FULL DAYS

Water Play with Wading Pools
Weekly themes
Outdoor Adventures
Nature
Crafts
Hebrew Specialist
Choo-Choo Train
Magician

• • • •

Session I: June 18 - July
Session II: July 9 - July 20
Session III: July 23 - August 3
Session IV: August 6 - August 1

* • • 4,, • • •

it.11111111E31011E

16 MONTHS - 2-1/2 YEAR

PARENT TODDLER & JUST FOR ME

CALL FOR A CAMP APPLICATION, 248-851-5105

For more information, please contact Julie Eisman, Director
in the Adat Shalom Early Childhood Center office, 248-851-5105.

28

February 9 • 2012

W

hen the kids are away,
mom and dad can play
— and they shouldn't feel
guilty about it. Yes, adults can enjoy
themselves, clear their heads and com-
plete a project or two while youngsters
are at overnight camp. They can also
look forward to greeting more inde-
pendent, mature children when the
camp bus returns.
Sending youngsters to sleep-away
camp "allows parents time to recon-
nect with each other as husband and
wife versus father and mother, spend
time focused on the two of them,
and appreciate each other:' said Anna
Solomon, a licensed social worker and
clinical therapist at Levine, Risen '&
Associates in Beachwood, Ohio. "It
also gives them the flexibility of not
being ruled by the kids' schedules and
constantly having to coordinate things
with their spouse. It's a respite from
their role as the primary caregiver:'
On a practical level, the free time
provides an opportunity to tackle
personal, household and professional
projects neglected during the hectic
school year, which leads to a sense of
accomplishment and relief.
For single parents, the temporary
separation from children offers an
opportunity to recharge batteries,
especially if they are doing most of the
child rearing without assistance from
the other parent. The time also gives
single parents the freedom to enjoy
hobbies, dating and other activities
they can't squeeze in when kids are
home.
It's not uncommon for younger chil-
dren to remain at home when older
siblings are at camp, however.
"There is not as much time as there
would be if all kids were away, but it
does allow the parent to spend qual-
ity time with the child who is still at
home and strengthen that relation-

ship:' Solomon said.
Nervous parents should strive to
allay concerns about their child's wel-
fare and, instead, concentrate on the
positives.
"Recognize that by sending your
child to camp, you send them a power-
ful message: I believe in you, trust you
and will be here when you get back,"
Solomon said. "That does wonders for
their self-esteem. The camp will contac
you with any emergencies. If you don't
hear from them, that's a good sign:'
Because Jewish camps incorporate
prayer, Torah and Judaic-centered
activities daily, many youngsters
return with a renewed zeal for spiritu
ality and ritual.
Taking a long-range view, parents
also appreciate studies indicating
that sending children to Jewish over-
night camp makes them more likely
to choose Jewish spouses, become
involved in synagogue life and make
donations to Jewish federations.
Yehuda Rothner, director of Camp
Stone, a Modern Orthodox Zionist
camp in Sugar Grove, Pa., agrees that
parents gain the greatest joy from
watching their children apply to daily
family life what they learned at camp.
"When a child goes to camp, it
enhances their independence, which
makes things easier at home for the
parents:' he said. "Having kids set,
serve and clean the entire dining hall
gives them a sense of ownership. I
hear from parents, 'Oh, my gosh, my
kid came home doing things I never
expected him to do!"
That often means actively engaging
in home Shabbat observances.
"They learn zmirot (songs) at camp
and that engenders a greater spirit
that enhances the family' Rothner
said. "Parents say, `(Camp) did what it
needed to do for our family, and that'
a wonderful benefit"

❑

Reprinted with permission from the

Cleveland Jewish News.

