Today's changing campers.

Today's Changing Campers

Rob Hammond likes to tell the way his predecessor, Coach Laney, founder of Camp Laney in Alabama, conducted staff training almost thirty years ago. "We would all get up to camp three days before opening day to get camp in shape for the summer," says Hammond. "On Sunday, after breakfast, Coach would call us all onto the porch of the lodge. He would remind us that campers were due within the hour, and that during the summer we should, 'remember to be friendly, firm and fair.' That was staff training! What's more, it worked! Things have certainly changed!"

Indeed, things have changed. Hammond himself conducts an intensive orientation that is typical of most camps in the 90s.

Jani Brokaw of Campus Kids in New York/Connecticut agrees. "it used to be that it was more the exception than the norm to encounter a child with special difficulties," says Brokaw. "With family life as unstable as it seems to be, and greater awareness of drugs, violence and family problems, aggressive behavior among campers seems to be the norm."

Hammond's and Brokaw's comments mirror the observations of many directors and key staff. During the summer 1993, I visited more than 40 camps. Experiences of camp directors seemed remarkably similar everywhere I went.

In camps I visited last summer, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) replaced bed wetting as one of the top five challenges facing staff. Some of the other issues I heard about included the following:

1. a greater number of children diagnosed with ADHD, on or not on medication (usually Ritalin);

2. a greater number of girls in particular coming to camp on antidepressant medication;

3. more intense rivalries and jealousies among early teen females;

4. greater incidence of aggressive and even violent behavior among campers;

5. more parents who feel uncertain or defensive about their children.

Let us look at the ADHD problem. Attention deficit disorder is thought to affect between 3 and 5 percent of the population in the United States. Boys are diagnosed with the disorder between three and four times more frequently than girls. Most camps are discovering that the stigma associated with ADHD is becoming like that of divorce in the 1960s and 70s -- at first it was something to be ashamed of; now it is something to get help for.

Dr. Dennis O'Brien, a Boston-based child psychologist, agrees ADHD is an increasing problem. "Camp directors are going to have to do what classroom teachers are doing," says O'Brien. "Know what the disorder looks like so you can spot it early; become familiar with the medication issues so you can speak in an informed way with pediatricians and parents; and learn what behavior management techniques work for this group of children and teach them to your staff."

A crucial task is getting information from parents early enough so that staff can work with the child and the cabin that she's in. Too often camps find out about the problem after a week or more has gone by, by which time the child has already alienated her bunk mates and lost favor with her counselor. What many camps have done is institute use of a new "parent information" form that addresses ADHD and other problems.

Working with parents in the 1990s can be as much of a challenge as working with youngsters. "We find that parents need as much help and encouragement as the children," comments Ann Woods of Roughing It day camp in California. "Most parents want their child to be able to relax at camp. When that doesn't happen, they don't want to hear about challenges. Our job is to show them that camp is not school -- we can deal with challenges here and most often get a successful outcome."

Jani Brokaw echoes this sentiment. "There is more partnership in my work with parents. Once I learn how to address their unspoken fears, they are more honest and open with me. I finally realized that when I called parents, they thought I was calling to kick their child out of camp. Now I say at the outset that is not what my call is about, and thing progress past the defensive stage."

What about girls and antidepressants? "This is a disturbing development," says Dr. Sue Curtin of the Concord Public Schools, who works with camp professionals on issues related to girls. "Many of the problems associated with depression have to do with girls and their self-esteem. Girls are at high risk for low self-esteem. Starting at about age ten, girls begin a downward spiral in their feelings about themselves."

So what can camps do about this problem? Dr. Curtin recommends several things. "The first thing is to educate yourself about girls' development. Then such things as developing a 'happiness list,' and an 'adequacy list' can help some girls take stock of some of the positive things about themselves." More camps are also taking greater care to develop trust and a greater tolerance of individual differences. Without this "envelope of safety," young people do not open up, do not take healthy risks and consequently they do not thrive.

Brokaw sums up her position by stating, "If anything, camp directors have to learn more about children and societal issues than ever before. Camp is a cross section of life -- if it is out there, sooner or later camping professionals are going to see it in camp."