“The Wawenock staff is totally aware and supportive of each camper in her daily life at camp, giving her love and confidence and success.” – Alumna and Mom, Nancy M. H.
It is the staff that makes the Wawenock experience so impactful – full of fun, learning and growth. I couldn’t possibly say it better than the campers themselves. Here’s why they love the Wawenock staff:
- They are committed to help you succeed & willing to help you accomplish your goals
- They are responsible, but they know how to have fun
- They are easy to talk to; you can always ask them for help without being judged
- They’re always friendly and respectful and positive about everything
“I can’t begin to explain how much my time at Wawenock shaped who I am. Being able to explore who I was becoming with a group of supportive, intelligent and compassionate women was so invaluable.” – Alumna, Nadege R.
As children and adolescents ebb and flow through different stages of development, their lives are filled with challenges and mini-lessons to learn along the way. As parents, we have all had our share of moments, struggling to know the right way to respond to our children, how to encourage them, perhaps even steer them in the direction we feel will help them become successful adults, all the while holding our breath and hoping they will respond positively. We feel responsible for our children’s actions, whether it be performance in school, social interactions with others or behavior at home and in our community. That is a big weight to bear all alone.
Andy and I feel so fortunate that we, as parents, have had the opportunity to have many partners in raising our children along the way. They have been impacted and influenced by a whole host of adults and young adults, and these people have become like family to us. We’re convinced that our unique position to have a constant stream of high school and college-aged women interacting with and mentoring our daughters has had a lasting impact on their development into well-adjusted young women.
I was intrigued to read an article by well-known psychologist and author, Michael Thompson, entitled Why Camp Counselors Can Out-Parent Parents, in which he supported this concept. He states: “In our age-segregated society, camp is the only place in America where an 11-year-old can get the sustained attention of a 19-year-old. In return for the attention of these ‘older children,’ campers will make sacrifices. They will follow all kinds of rules and adhere to all kinds of rituals that they would likely fight at home. When children return home from camp, parents are amazed. ‘She is so grown-up,’ they observe. ‘He is so responsible!’ a startled father exclaims. ‘He cleans up after himself.’ Another mother, amazed at her child’s growth in only a month, remarks, ‘He tries so many new foods!’
There’s just no contest between parents and counselors. The college students are vastly better looking than we are; they are truly cool and they have dazzling skills. When children need a summer filled with growth and change (not to mention fun and glory), I tell their parents to give camp a chance.” No wonder Wawenock campers love and admire, and aspire to be like their counselors! Read more about the Camp Wawenock Staff.
– Catriona