With the summer quickly approaching, many college-aged students are probably looking for a summer job. It can be hard to find seasonal work, especially with a pandemic going on, but there is one industry that provides fun seasonal work, fantastic benefits, and adventure like you’ve never experienced before. Summer camp. The camp world has not been left untouched by COVID-19, with many camps being closed last summer and COVID-19 still being an issue for this summer, many camps are still actively searching for staff members to join their team. Camp is a fantastic place to work for many different reasons, but also offers opportunities you cannot find at any other job.
While it may not look like it on the surface, overnight summer camp has fantastic benefits, It Is The Best Summer Job. Not only will you get paid by the camp you work for, but you also do not have to spend nearly as much money as you have to working any other job. Camp takes care of your housing, making sure you always have a place to sleep at night. It also will make you food, saving the hassle of having to buying food and making it later. Long drive to work? Not at camp! Working at camp means you don’t have to spend all of your money buying gas to drive places. Better yet, if you like going out into nature or on overnight trips, some camps will pay you to do the things you love. For just these benefits alone, camp is worth looking into, but this really represents the tip of the iceberg.
Maybe you are someone who like jobs that allow for personal growth and exploration of your talents and abilities, a constant test of your skills. Camp is arguably one of the greatest places to do all of this. There is something about being in charge of a bunch of children that are not your own that is oddly therapeutic and incredibly satisfying. The deep interpersonal relationships you can build with people at camp allows you to discover new things about yourself and to find the things you truly love and have a passion for. In fact, camp does best when it shows off people’s passions. Teaching kids about your passions, to play instruments, to write poetry, or how to shoot a bow and arrow, may have a hugely significant impact on them, so profound they may end up becoming the next big band or an Olympic-level archer. You must always be sharp at camp, willing to be stressed, to be pulled in more ways than you can handle, to be overtired, physically exhausted, to push yourself to your own limits, day after day, week after week. It almost sounds like military training, but this is why this line of work is so satisfying. You do all of this hard work and get to directly see the results of your efforts, as every piece of work you do at camp ultimately is for the campers, and a positive reaction from them means that you did a good job. Smiling, happy campers make the stressful hard days completely worthwhile.
Even when sleep away camp is closed for the year and you return back to the normal world, you will likely find it still impacts your life. Many of the lessons and skills you learned at camp will now heavily affect your life. Maybe you will become better at managing you stress and time, or maybe you will be able to get a job as a lifeguard at a local pool after getting trained to be one at camp over the summer. There are certainly a plethora of personal benefits after working at camp for a summer. While you are at camp, you will likely meet coworkers who you will form close friendships with. Some of these friendships may even last a lifetime. An especially great aspect of camp is that it prepares you for parenthood. If you think you may want children at any time in your life, the skills that you learn at camp are invaluable. Being surrounded by children all day will allow you to grow a specific skillset for raising children that you may not have possessed previously.
Working in the summer camp world has proven to be wildly rewarding. Personally, I have gained so much from working in camp, things that will last me for the rest of my days. For that, I could not be more thankful. If you need a job for the summer that you will not regret having, look into work in the camp world. It may be outside of your comfort zone, it may be hard, but it most certainly will be one of the best decisions you will make if you fully apply yourself to the job. Some days you will look around and be having so much fun that it will not even feel like working. Take a risk and go on adventures this summer, work at a summer camp.
Roughing It: The Benefits of Tripping at Summer Camp
Too often today are we surrounded by life’s luxuries, so much so that we can begin to take these things for granted. There seems to be an endless supply of food and water, sturdy shelters, and freedom from the primal forces of nature. However, for those who are brave enough to go venturing into the wild to go camping with no more than necessary equipment and provisions, they find themselves not only on an outdoor adventure, but also a personal journey. One group who can particularly benefit from these experiences are children, and summer camps can provide this opportunity to them. While there are tripping camps, designed so that the majority of the camp experience is with tripping, there are other camps that also can provide these experiences, though perhaps less often. These trips at a Minnesota Summer Camp can create life-changing experiences, allowing campers to grow both their skills in tripping and in life.
The first and most basic goal of tripping is for campers to learn how to live and work with nature. No longer can they go and get food or water from the fridge, but now must survive with what they have, and what they can even scavenge. Being in nature provides a great opportunity to teach campers about how to purify water, fire safety, edible and medicinal flora, and so much more. As they go on more and more trips, campers will grow their outdoor experience, making them better at tripping, but also more knowledgeable of the natural world around them. Camp can provide a unique experience for campers to be leaders. Not every kid that goes to camp has spent a night in the woods with not much more than a tent, but some have, and these campers can be turned to as leaders that can assist and pass on their tripping knowledge. Giving campers responsibility in these scenarios allows them to develop various skills, another important aspect of tripping.
Another goal of tripping is self-improvement and development. Trips are not always easy, in fact, they can be extremely challanging. There are so many factors that are outside of our control that suddenly can change everything, like weather, accidents, or the particular environment you are camping in. These challenges are both an obstacle to be overcome and a lesson in life. It teaches campers to focus on the things they can control rather than the things they cannot control, to work efficiently and effectively, and with certain tasks, to work together and synergize. Maybe the trip was more difficult than anticipated, but that too can have a positive effect. This can show them that they overcame a great challenge, and if they say that it was the hardest thing they ever did, then show them how impressive it is that they rose to the challenge. Along with this, you can take this chance to teach skills that are much more applicable to everyday life. While they may not always use a campfire as their heat source, you can teach campers how to cook. Theres always cleaning up to do after taking camp down, so teach them how to do dishes and make sure they leave no trace. The importance of these developments cannot be understated and can have a hugely positive impact on the camper’s whole life.
Lastly, the goal of Adventure Camp Trips is to allow campers to have fun. It allows for a change of pace in life, to try new things, see spectacular places, and live in it all. Go canoeing if you can, try swimming up river and float back down. There are unique experiences offered on trips that simply cannot be replicated in other places. Making the actual trip to the location can be an adventure itself. When hiking, make sure to look around more and make up silly games and songs to keep it more engaging for campers. Canoeing can offer fun places to have a mid-paddle lunch right next to the river or lake. If a trip has taken a turn for the worst, adding a little bit of fun can boost morale enough to make it home, and there may be no better feeling than getting home from a trip in the wild.
Covid-19 has taken us all for an unspected ride sort of like a never ending roller coaster and just as you want to stop it continues around the track one more time. At Swift we have run camp during COVID in 2020 and will do the same in 2021. I came accross this article and it really highlight the decisions camp directors are making for a safe summer. Most if not all discussed are things we will be doing this summer at Swift Nature Camp
Be safe in 2021? Here's what you need to know
By Lisa Drayer, CNN Mar 23, 2021
The thought of summer camp in the not-too-distant future will likely bring smiles to many parents' faces.
After all, splashing in a pool, getting messy with arts and crafts, and running around a soccer or baseball field is probably a welcome break from nonstop Roblox games, too much time spent on social media, and endless Zooming.
Indeed, camp is an opportunity for children and teens to socialize with friends in a way that the school year has not necessarily allowed.
But will it be safe for your child to attend day camp or sleepaway camp this summer?
"This year, camp directors are carefully planning all aspects of camp with Covid-19 in mind," said Rhino Merrick, camp director of Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville, Connecticut, which operates both day camp and sleepaway camps on the same property.
"The research demonstrates that camps which are implementing multilayered nonpharmaceutical interventions -- including mitigation strategies such as masking, physical distancing and maintaining cohorts or separate groups -- when they do these things consistently and diligently, the research shows they are able to safely operate in person," said Tom Rosenberg, president and CEO of the American Camp Association.
There were 102 Covid-19 cases reported in close to 500 camps serving 90,000 campers in 2020, according to a Tufts University study, funded in part by ACA. That number represented less than 1% of campers and staff, and an outcome related to camps adopting strategies that halt the spread of the virus, including quarantining, contact tracing, cohorting and sanitization practices.
"Last summer when we were in the midst of the pandemic, we ran our day camps safely with no incidents, and this was shared entirely by the day camp industry in the tri-state -- and sleepaway camps operated with tough protocols across the country and with rare exceptions, had excellent results, said Jay Jacobs, CEO of the TLC Family of Camps and director of Timber Lake Camp in Shandaken, New York.
"This summer, I think we are going to be in a much better situation, and that is basically because you are going to have staff being vaccinated," Jacobs added.
"We are all in a very different place now, we know so much more now, and we know that after the year we've experienced, that campers and staff need camp -- they need to be outside and connect with other campers," said Jane Kagan, director of Lake Bryn Mawr Camp for girls in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where my daughters, 11 and 8, will be attending this summer. "They need to get off Zoom and get into lakes and get dirty and eat smores."
"We know so much more now that we didn't know last year at this time. Camp directors are experts at planning, and we are all going to be prepared," Kagan said.
Here are some factors to keep in mind when considering camp for your child this summer, according to camp experts:
1. Will testing be required prior to entry and during camp?
At Bryn Mawr, testing will take place in stages: Campers and staff will be required to have a negative molecular, or RT-PCR test, prior to arrival at camp. Then campers and staff will be tested on arrival day, on day five and on day 14 of camp.
"Our goal is to enable camp to run as normally as we can, once the safety of our community is in the right place," Kagan said.
"For the first five days, only bunks will be going together to activities," Kagan said. "After day five, assuming all campers and staff test negative, we will expand to divisions, where each age group can be together. After receiving negative results from day 14, the hope is we are a clean and healthy camp and we can sing together in the dining room and have campfires."
After day 14 tests results are received, however, masks will still be required to be worn when the entire camp community comes together, Kagan added.
As an extended bubble, the sleepaway camp model is in a good position to use testing as an overlay to an already vaccinated staff, according to Jacobs, who will be implementing similar testing measures. But children at TLC's day camps will also be required to have a negative Covid-19 test before entering camp, he said.
2. What are the camp's safety protocols?
"We have been working tirelessly to make sure we have the most relevant information (about the virus) and have enlisted medical experts and epidemiologists to help us develop the safest protocols," Kagan said.
As chair of the Veterans of the Camping Experience, Kagan hosted a webinar with executives from Disney and the National Basketball Association with over 100 camp directors about the NBA's successful 2020 bubble experience, so she and other camp staff could apply what they learned, to sleepaway camp settings.
"If LeBron James can be in a place for three months and not have contact with the outside, I believe our 20-year-old staff are going to make it this summer," Kagan said. "The big takeaway -- that we will be doing throughout the summer -- is that we are really minimizing the people who come in from the outside."
Here are some health and safety questions to consider: Will masks be required to be worn by campers, especially in indoor settings and during bus rides to and from day camp? Will physical distancing be required, for both indoor and outdoor settings and especially when masks are not worn? Will lunch be eaten outdoors or with adequate distancing when indoors? Will campers travel in cohorts either initially or throughout the entire camp season?
"For us, we are looking to create small pods of kids that will do activities together versus elective-based where kids are moving all over the place based on the schedule they create for themselves," Merrick said. "While this system will be new to our sleepaway camp programs, it is similar to how we have run our day camp in the past and will allow us to be able to better contact trace throughout the summer."
Other questions may include details about hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting protocols at camp, as well as whether adequate ventilation systems are in place for indoor spaces.
3. Can the camp adjust protocols based on the incidence of the virus in the local neighborhood?
Last summer, day camps were so successful because there was very little of the virus around in July and August, according to Jacobs. But the positivity rate during testing can change at any point in time.
"We will be monitoring the prevalence of the virus, community by community," said Jacobs, whose TLC Family of Camps includes three-day camps and three sleepaway camps in New York and Pennsylvania. "If the prevalence is higher, our protocols are designed to meet the threat."
If the prevalence is lower, the protocols can be adjusted. "We should develop our protocols like layers of an onion -- as the threat goes down, you peel off the things that you don't need because you don't have to protect against them," Jacobs said.
"We are really watching the transmission of the virus, and how things are evolving. It is possible that protocols could look different in June if the transmission rates are low. We are preparing for the most challenging and hoping for the most normal," Kagan added.
4. Will staff be vaccinated?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that camp staff will be considered essential workers and therefore eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, though each state governor ultimately decides which workers are deemed essential in their state, according to ACA.
"In our camps, we are requiring all staff to be vaccinated before the summer," Jacobs said, adding that a vaccinated staff "will take a great deal of the stress out of the equation."
5. What is the plan if a camper or staffer develops Covid-19 symptoms or tests positive for the virus?
Is there a place to isolate a camper or staff member? Will the related cohort and anyone the person was in contact with be tested and quarantined?
"For overnight camps that have longer sessions, camps are expected to have quarantine facilities for individuals who are symptomatic, campers who have had prolonged exposure to persons who are symptomatic or Covid-positive persons, especially when the camp draws campers from outside the local area," Rosenberg said. "For overnight camps with shorter sessions, parents may opt to pick up their camper or staff person, although the camp will still have isolation facilities."
"Right now, the CDC guidance is to have a plan for if a camper gets sick. For Camp Sloane YMCA that means quarantining a child in our health center until such time as a parent can pick them up and bring them to a place where they can continue to quarantine," Merrick said. "By using the pod-based approach, we will be better informed as to which campers may have been exposed to the virus and the entire pod will need to leave camp and get a negative test before coming back to camp."
6. Lastly, are you comfortable with the camp's values and its directors?
"It is critical to assess whether or not the camp's philosophy meets a family's values," Merrick said. This includes assessing health and safety protocols and whether or not the camp's activities are appropriate and engaging for a child.
Kagan feels the level of trust between parents and camp directors is the most important part of the decision-making process when it comes to choosing a camp.
"We drive everything. ... There needs to be a comfort level between parents and camp directors, who are ultimately responsible for taking care of your child, whether in a pandemic or not in a pandemic," Kagan said.
Nearly a year ago today, our nation was shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, taking children out of schools and parents out of work, sending them to complete their daily tasks from their homes to prevent further spread of the virus. A year later, and not much has seemed to have changed. A lot of folks are still working from home, and kids are still doing virtual learning, though with people beginning to receive the vaccine, it seems that we may be able to return to our “normal” state sooner rather than later. COVID struck just a few months before summer camps all over the nation reopened, and for some, it put an end to the summer before it even began. While not all camps were able to open in the summer, there were a small number which successfully navigated the COVID issue ensuring campers were safe, but also got to enjoy what summer camp has to offer.
Swift Nature Camp was one of the few overnight summer camps that operated during 2020 through the COVID-19 Pandemic, though it was not without sacrifice. Much of what we knew about camp had to be changed in order to maximize the safety of both campers and staff. We asked campers and staff to quarantine for weeks before coming to camp to minimize the chances of them becoming infected by going out into public. The schedule was reworked so that cabin groups would not intermingle with other cabins, so that if only one cabin were to have a case of COVID, we would have been able to isolate them to ensure there was no further infection. Face masks were mandatory, though due to the length of camp, we were able to take them off, as no one was allowed to enter or leave camp, effectively giving us a “safety bubble” where it was nearly impossible for COVID to enter camp after campers arrived for a session. As no one could leave camp, days which staff members had time off were spent around camp, rather than getting to go out to eat or go to a state park. Each cabin also had UV lights put into them, which science has shown to be effective in killing the COVID-19 virus. Thankfully, at a nature summer camp there is plenty of sun at camp, which allowed us to naturally disinfect canoe paddles and life jackets by letting them soak up the UV radiation of the Sun. The wide-open spaces made social distancing rather easy, and we tried to keep camp as normal as we possibly could, and I believe that this was done quite well, as Swift Nature Camp experienced 0 cases of COVID all summer.
COVID surely changed the way that Swift Nature Camp operated in 2020, but we took it as a challenge we could not back down from, one where the reward was much greater than the risk, and it paid off hugely. By prioritizing safety, we were able to mitigate any damage that could have been done by the virus and were able to make it through the entire summer. While the social distancing guidelines were not well received by many campers, they understood that they all played a pivotal role in the entirety of the summer, as a single case of COVID likely could have shut down the whole camp for the entire summer. The campers wore their masks, they practiced social distancing, and the day that we announced that we would no longer have to wear face masks was often one of the best days of the session. It was so rewarding for all of us to know that we had each played our part to make sure that everyone benefitted, a lesson in teamwork that I think more of the world should learn from.
With the 2021 season ahead and a year of experience of “COVID Camp” behind us, Swift Nature Camp is ready for the new summer. We instituting new policies like asking counselors to get vaccinated as soon as they can based on the groups which are allowed to receive the vaccine. With testing becoming more widely available, we will be implementing much more testing, to further ensure the safety of our campers and our staff. Face masks and social distancing measures will still be implemented in order to minimize the spreading of the virus. We are hoping that our 2021 summer camp will be just as safe as our sleep- away summer camp in 2020. It seems as if COVID-19 is getting under control and that 2021 will be the last year we have to plan for COVID, so that the Swift Nature Camp community can return to normal and that campers can return back to their summer homes with out concern
BY TONY BLASI SUN JOURNAL
Despite the still looming threat of COVID-19, Minnesota Summer Camps Executive Director Ron Hall is seeing an uptick in early registrations for some camps across Maine.
“The interesting thing is because Maine camps did so well last summer, they are filling up faster,” Hall explained. “Depending on the state guidelines — last year camps operated at between 60 and 70% capacity — and if that would be true this summer, the camps are going to be full very early.
“Most of our summer camps are hoping they will be in operation this summer,” he said. “Last summer we had a limited number of camps that operated. Some of the camps relied on testing … and keeping groups in pods. (Camps) also restricted who could come and go into the camp.”
He said Maine camp owners are confident of a more successful season.
“There are tests out there that say it is safer to have your kid in an overnight camp than (being) at home because the exposure that they have is far more controlled at camp than it is at home,” Hall said. “The camps were incredibly successful last summer so I think that is a big factor … and the more people that get vaccinated the better.
“The one area that we don’t know yet is we are waiting for the state,” he said. “Last year, camps that operate shorter sessions — two weeks or less — did not operate, and the unfortunate part of that is most of those camps are small, nonprofit camps that provide a critical service to Maine families.”
Director Terri Mulks at Camp Susan Curtis in Stoneham said they hope to open, but she is waiting for new guidelines from the Maine Center for Disease Control.
“We were open last summer for smaller groups of kids,” she said. “We really have a long history of serving the economically disadvantage kids in the state of Maine. So they need camp more now than they ever needed it before. We are absolutely 100% moving ahead in the hopes that we will be able to open again this summer.”
Mulks said children who are facing economic hardship don’t often have the advantage of attending a summer camp. She added that registration is open to returning campers.
“The other thing that is a little different for us — because of the population we are serving — we actually work directly with their schools and have the kids referred to us,” she explained. “I know for ourselves, we are opening at reduced capacity to make sure that we can stay safe and healthy — and we are going to have a lot of things in place … things like lots of hand washing and smaller groups. So those things will definitely be in play like last summer.”
Mulks added that vaccinations are important, but there are other factors to be concerned with this season.
“Kids aren’t vaccinated, yet,” she said. “The vaccine is for adults, and so when we can have kids vaccinated, we have to move forward in the same way we did last summer.”
When Camp North Star in Poland opened last summer, the camp finished the season COVID-19 free and gave parents confidence in the organization. He said North Star’s success last year was due to management, staff, campers and parents.
“We are still going to limit our numbers a bit this summer,” Steven Bernstein, camp director and owner, said. “But more importantly, we are following really good public health guidelines in terms of socially distancing and cohorting campers into smaller groups.”
He said he understands why some families will not send their children to camp.
“Unfortunately, we have campers who can’t attend for medical reasons — either their own or somebody in their family that might be immune compromised, and their doctors don’t feel it is safe for the child to come,” Bernstein said.
He said vaccinations are a reason for optimism, but they can also lead to a false sense of confidence.
“It is great that staff is being vaccinated,” he said. “I don’t know that many, if any campers will be vaccinated this summer. We are not doing anything differently because some people will be vaccinated.”
Crystal Parritt, Lewiston YWCA director of child care services, said she is seeing more parents staying on top of finding a summer camp for their children compared to last year.
“So we have definitely seen an uptick of inquiries” she said. “I really don’t think they are going to really be deterred like last year or at least in the springtime, when we didn’t have a lot of information about it.”
Parritt said parents know that the YWCA took precautions such as hand washing and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
COVID-19 forced the Auburn YMCA to forego its traditional day care and used a hybrid model.
“This summer we are hoping to have 150 kids compared to 125 from the 2019 summer,” director of children services Jaime O’Connor said. “Originally, we were hoping for even a larger number, but with the current situation, a slight increase in number was a better way to go with the upcoming summer.”
Registration for the YMCA summer program isn’t open yet because the Y is to taking a wait-and-see approach to how the new guidelines will look.
“We are hoping to open registration at the end of the month,” she said. “I will say one piece of advice for the parents because I know I am a camper parent as well, and I know I am trying to figure my summer out for my kid. But my advice to parents is please be patient with us because we are trying to plan our summer, but then we are waiting to hear from outside partners like the CDC and the state.”
When we raise children, one of the words that they hear the most is respect. In fact, respect is so important, that it is often referred to as “The Golden Rule,” or “Treat others the way you wish to be treated.” We teach our children to respect authority, to respect the rules, yet we teach it in a way that isn’t accessible to them. Usually, we tell them they will get in trouble or bad things will happen, but these are very general statements, which can allow a child’s mind to wonder exactly what those bad things are. However, there are ways that we can teach respect to children, while also teaching them how to be more environmentally conscious.
Nature Summer Camps envelopes children in nature, taking them out of their cities and homes and delivering them to a pristine outdoor setting. While not every camp is nature themed, many are, and they teach children the practices that will serve to help and heal the Earth. Children are shown how much the planet provides them with, that it creates their food, their water, everything that they know, and it creates a natural sense of respect to the environment. At Swift Nature Camp a science camp in Wisconsin, we have a rule that you should not walk off of the path. Kids usually do not like this rule, but it exists for a simple reason. We explain to the children that long, long ago, there were glaciers that moved through the area, leaving behind all of the sand, which isn’t a very good soil for grass to grow in, so keeping foot traffic to the path keeps the grass healthy. Sometimes, kids ask, “Why is there no grass growing there?” and we explain that it’s because other campers have chosen to walk off of the path and through the grass, trampling and destroying it for everyone else. This shows the children the effects of disrespect, the solid proof that it is better to respect the rules.
Summer camp is all nature and trees. These trees don’t just provide shade to keep us cool, they are teaching aids. We are able to teach campers about what makes each species of tree unique. Many of the campers know that pine needles are good for starting fires, but so is birch bark. We teach them about Jack Pines and the dangers associated with those trees. The lessons of conservation associated with trees can also create respect. There are a number of birch trees at camp, and since the campers know that birch bark can be a good fire starter, they rip the bark off of the live tree. When campers do this, we go to the tree with them and show them the scar that it left. We tell our campers that it would basically be like taking a layer of their skin off, so that we can teach them the lesson we’re trying to communicate in a way which they can understand. They are also able to see the direct results of disrespect as well, as the tree would be damaged from their actions. While the tree will usually survive these encounters, it still serves as a powerful tool in teaching children the importance of respect.
A final area in which SNC Nature Camp teaches children respect with science and conservation is when it comes to bugs. Many campers who aren’t used to being out in nature often do not enjoy bugs. Many don’t like spiders one bit, resorting to immediately crushing them. What we try to teach our campers is the importance of bugs, how each one serves a pivotal role in the life cycle, or the benefits which bugs such as spiders can bring to us through eating smaller bugs. However, the most important thing that we teach our campers is that when we kill a bug, we kill it in their home, a home which they allowed us to be in, and we repaid them by killing them. We say that we are just visitors to camp, but the bugs live their forever, so it’s important that we make sure that they are safe in their home, just as we like to be safe in our own homes. Showing our science campers the analogy between their homes and a bug’s home teaches them respect by putting the idea into perspective. Since they do not want to be crushed by some random wandering giant, they usually maintain respect for bugs, because they have begun to respect bugs enough to see life from their perspective.
Overnight nature camps provide a great experience for children to learn many great lessons directly from the planet. Environmental Conservation serves as a path to not only teach children more about their world and how to protect it, but also the consequences of our actions, whether they are respectful or disrespectful to nature. By turning the conversation of respect into a lesson about how nature works, we can effectively teach our children to be more compassionate to both other humans and the world that we all live in.
Come to our March Zoom Meeting.
See friends, make friends and much more..
Social media is a platform which allows users to share all kinds of information easily. Some choose to update people on their families, other upload pictures of their vacations. However, these platforms also allow us to voice our opinions, write stuff that may be false, and can easily become a way for people to spread anger and sadness. We often complain that social media has created this new environment that we live in today, one where people are cold and less kind, where the hustle and bustle of life have us forgetting to say things like, “Thank you.” Social media does not force us to do anything, it simply provides an opportunity for us to communicate, much like books or television. Ultimately, we are the things that spread these messages, we are the ones that decide what to share, and we are responsible for all the damage done by social media.
As many have discussed the impacts of social media on society, there have been many studies performed on the actual impacts it has. Dr. Sara Kornath teaches as a professor of philanthropy, having a degree in social psychology. As such, she has explored societies decline in empathy, and looked at factors such as social media, and she has found an interesting correlation.
“There's a lot of research, including our own that finds a correlation between narcissism and social media usage, but I don't necessarily think that means that social media use causes increased narcissism. The studies that have tracked people over time find if anything, it's the other way around, that narcissistic people are just attracted to use social media because...
It can be used to fit their aims, which is to get a lot of attention. I did present that work, it's still unpublished, but finding that empathy is correlated with less social media use. Since then, a mini meta-analysis came out with five different studies examining that link between empathy and social media. Interestingly, it actually found that there's a small positive correlation. More empathetic people are using social media on average, a little bit more.”
Dr. Kornath has shown that the issues with social media are not due to the existence of these platforms themselves, but it is the human component which has allowed these platforms to become what we believe as the biggest problem in our society. How can we fix this problem?
In the camp world, we are no strangers to these empathetic practices, in fact, we would like to consider it the norm. Day camps, overnight camps, all seem to have these lessons at the forefront of their teaching, with what little teaching they do. Good counselors lead by example, they are kind and courteous to each and every person they interact with. From this, the campers then learn the appropriate behavior from a role model, making them want to have similar behavior to that of the counselor. They begin to greet people more, they begin using their manners more, they just generally become more empathetic. One could say that kindness builds kindness, which has long-term positive impacts. How can we measure these changes? Often, campers do not want to leave camp. While some may believe that it is because they will miss all of the fun things of camp, the usual reason campers never want to leave is because of their friendships. The bonds they forge at camp are so incredibly strong, transcending time and the space between us, and that is likely to do with the empathetic practices of camp. Why would anyone want to leave a summer paradise where everyone is kind all of the time? Some adults are lucky enough to be a part of camp life, and they often feel the same things that campers do. A place that is unlike college or work, where every single person you see is kind every day of the week. Why can our society at large put this into practice themselves?
Before camp every summer, our staff sits down and reads a poem called “If Only the World Were More Like Camp.” The message of the poem is that camp creates an atmosphere of love and empathy, and that if the world were more like it, our lives would be much better off. Maybe, social media just needs a little bit more camp energy, where we talk lovingly to one another, of excitement for new adventures of your friends, or maybe the simple “Happy Birthday” to an old friend you have not seen in a while. We have to relearn and reteach ourselves and our society how to be kind by being kind first. If kindness truly does build kindness, who better to start building that kindness than ourselves? Make the world more like camp, care about the people that are important to you, and treat those you do not know with respect and a smile. The best cure to a bad day is making someone smile, so instead of spreading anger, spread love. Show your children, your peers, anyone, the positive impacts of empathy and kindness. If kindness can build kindness, then hate can surely build hate. Decide what you would rather build, a world full of impersonal narcissists, or one full of joy and love. Be the change you wish to see, become kinder, and the world around you will follow.
Sources:
Speaking of Psychology: The Decline of Empathy and the Rise of Narcissism. Dec. 2019, www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/empathy-narcissism.
Recently, I read the below article about keeping our children safe during a pandemic in the summer of 2021. I whole hardily agree in what was said and yet I found something missing. Last summer we ran summer camp without it. This year, science has brought testing, a game changer for overnight summer camps . Summer Camp will be more safe and manageable when overnight summer camps use preamp and during camp testing. Our “safe bubble” will more quickly be available getting us into the fun of Summer camp, COVID FREE. At SNC Policy will develop as the summer nears. But here is what we did in 2020, Camp COVID Policy
Summer Camps 2021: Health & Safety First
As school starts to wind down and vaccine rates increase, East End families are cautiously looking toward a summer of fun. Although we still don’t know what the summer will bring in terms of infection rates or public health policies, here are some tips to make your summer as safe as possible…
MASKS
As we’ve learned, COVID is a virus which attacks the respiratory tract and is spread by droplets (a small amount of liquid produced by exhaling). These tiny droplets can become aerosolized and fly through the air, where they can be inhaled by others. The best way to protect yourself and those around you is to be vigilant about wearing masks…even if someone has been vaccinated!
The best thing to do is to wear a cloth mask (either purchased or homemade, a good chance for some camp-inspired creativity) or a disposable mask (but save the N95 masks for your healthcare providers who have been properly fitted for them). Avoid masks with ventilation valves, as this can increase the spread of disease. The only way that a mask can protect anyone is to wear it correctly…this means masks should cover your mouth and nose at all times and fit snugly.
Try not to touch your mask while wearing it, and wash your hands if you do! When you remove your mask, remove it by the ear loops or tie—don’t touch the front of the mask (where the germs are) or your face. Wash or sanitize your hands after taking off your mask, and make sure to launder your mask regularly.
HAND WASHING—NOT GLOVES
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that gloves only be used for those caring for or cleaning up after those who are sick. It is not necessary (and may be more dangerous) for your kids to use gloves during summer fun, especially during camp activities, including eating and drinking. If your child is wearing gloves and touches their face, it may make things worse.
Instead of gloves, remind them to wash or sanitize their hands frequently (with a product that is at least 60% alcohol). Make sure that their camp supplies include a liberal supply of hand sanitizer. You can make it fun by picking products of fun scents and colors. Washing your hands is one of the best ways to not only prevent COVID, but a whole host of other illnesses.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
This is still the most important way to keep yourself and your kids safe! Make sure that your kids’ camps are taking all reasonable precautions to limit large gatherings and plan more outdoor fun. When not at camp, continue to take precautions. When opting for outdoor dining venues, make sure the venue has spread-out tables and the staff are wearing masks. Be mindful of wearing masks in stores, following arrows in store aisles and not crowding cash registers. If you are venturing out to beaches or parks, choose times that are less busy and keep your distance from others.
Just because COVID is on everyone’s mind, there are also some non-COVID things to consider for the summer…
ALLERGIES
According to the CDC, food allergies are on the rise. About 6-8% of children have at least one food allergy and these can be serious. Symptoms of food allergies can include hives, itching, rashes, coughing, vomiting, lip swelling and difficulty breathing. In short, food allergies can be life threatening for some children.
If your child has a food allergy, make sure the camp staff understands exactly what triggers their symptoms, what their symptoms are and how to manage an emergency. Equip your camper with the medications recommended by your doctor, including an epi-pen (an injectable rescue medication for anaphylactic shock) if necessary. Remind your child to ask questions when offered new foods or treats, and be prepared to send special snacks for your day camper if the camp can’t accommodate special requests. If one of your child’s co-campers has an allergy, do your best to respect the rules and don’t send food that could be dangerous.
LYME DISEASE
Long Island (and Wisconsin) is notorious for deer ticks that carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the most common bacteria that cause Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that can cause rash, joint pain, headaches, fever and swollen lymph nodes, among other symptoms. If untreated, Lyme disease can also cause neurologic symptoms and cardiac damage. It’s important to minimize your child’s risk for tick bites and to identify early signs of possible Lyme disease, which can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
Whenever possible make sure your child wears a hat, long sleeves and long pants in heavily wooded areas. Encourage them to tuck their pants into their socks to further minimize exposed skin. Make sure your child is using insect repellent, with 20% DEET concentration, but avoid their hands, mouth and eyes. When hiking through brush and woods, encourage your children to stay on well-marked trails, which tend to have fewer heavily wooded areas.
Once your child comes home after a long day, teach him or her to check themselves for ticks (or make sure their counselor at sleepaway camp encourages this). In general, the shorter the time a tick is on your body, the less likely it is to cause disease. A deer tick is as small as the period on the end of a sentence and may be hard to see, but make sure everyone is looking.
Finding a deer tick is not an automatic reason to visit the infirmary or your pediatrician, but it is important to stay vigilant. Symptoms of Lyme disease can appear up to a month after a tick bite. Remind your children to alert camp staff or you if they have fevers, feel achy or sick, have “swollen glands,” or a new rash. The classic rash associated with Lyme disease is a bullseye, also known as erythema migrans. Any of these findings should send your child to the camp infirmary or their home pediatrician.
SUNBLOCK
Camp is at its best and most fun when the sun is shining, but it’s crucial to protect your children from the risks it can pose. Remember, having five prior sunburns significantly increases your risk for melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) later in life.
The sun is at its peak intensity from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is usually prime time at camp. Encourage your children to wear wide-brimmed hats in the sun, as well as sunglasses with ultraviolet (UV) protection. It’s a chance for them to make a fashion statement, as well as a positive health choice!
Sunscreen only works when it’s being used in the right amounts and at the right times. Start with an SPF of at least 15 and cover all areas of the body that aren’t covered by clothing. It’s important to reapply sunscreen frequently—every two hours, especially if your child is swimming or sweating a lot in the heat. Even waterproof sunscreen must be reapplied. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a young adult needs about one ounce of sunscreen per application.
***
Although a few things are still unclear about this summer, by following these commonsense tips, we can make summer 2021 on the East End safe and fun for everyone!
Dr. Rina Meyer is a board-certified pediatric hematologist-oncologist in practice at Stony Brook Children’s. She is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Her views are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Stony Brook University or Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
