Recently, I was wondering why after 25 years of overnight summer camp we are still relavent to society. Of course, it came down to relationships in particular or camp staff. They are a great bunch of young adults that come to camp for all the right reasons and the right mindset. Then I ran accross this article by Mike McClary and it made things much more clear. Summer camp is a place where everyone is valued and we are all held to a higher standard. A standard that is not about ourselves as much as it is about others. When creating this environment it requires all agree to this mindshift. Camp is a much easier place to have this happen than out in the world. In the past I have asked staff why they return to camp and I have often heard "Camp makes me a better me". When you have staff feeling this way it is bound to filter down to the campers at camp.

The below article is a great way to move closer to living camp everyday in our life

Mindset is everything.

It defines your actions. Your thoughts. Your life.

Adopt the scarcity mindset, and you'll always be scared for what you have. And that you'll never get what you want. Scarcity has a way of holding you hostage and making you a victim. 

If you adopt a success mindset, you'll see opportunities for growth everywhere.

So today, I'd like to share with you 9 tips to start developing a success mindset... starting today.

Tip #1: Start your day with positive affirmations

You are what you think. 

And you think about what you teach your mind to focus on.

So if you start your day focusing on the positive things about yourself, your mind will grow a habit of thinking about positive things.

Tips #2: Read/listen to inspiring stories each day

Historian Thomas Carlyle once said that: "History is nothing more than a collection of biographies belonging to great people."

And those people had the right mindset.

Spend at least one 30 minutes each day reading their biographies. Listening to videos about them. Listen to their podcasts.

Let some of that awesomeness transfer to YOUR mind.

Tip #3: Accept the fact that perfection is impossible

There's no such thing as being perfect. At anything.

In fact, I’ve found that perfection is the enemy of profit. 

And if you constantly try to reach perfection, you'll never be satisfied and happy. 

OR, you will never take a task to completion.

Do your best.

More often than not, it'll be enough.

Remember that there is a law of diminishing returns that comes into play. 

Tip #4: Meditate

Calm your mind.

Clear your thoughts.

Get to know yourself.

Many great ideas came to life thanks to the process of meditation.

Tip #5: Learn to say NO - and stick to it

Energy, time, and focus drainers are everywhere.

So are many temptations and shiny objects.

If you say YES to any of them, you're taking a step away from your goals.

Learn to say NO. And keep your focus on what you truly want.

Tip #6: Turn failures into lessons

In every failure, there's a lesson.

Why it happened. What did you missed. What can you do to prevent it from happening the next time.

And if you can learn a lesson, then it wasn't a failure at all.

It was a teaching moment.

Like Edison said: "I haven't failed 20,000 times. I found 19,999 ways how NOT to make a light bulb."

Tip #7: Surround yourself with success-oriented people

You are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with.

Do you want to get fit and go to the gym 3x a week?

Hang out with people who are fit and go 5x.

Want to be the best at what you do?

Surround yourself with people who are the best at what they do.

Surround yourself with people who'll lift you up.

Tip #8: Get a mentor/coach

Even the most successful people have coaches.

They help them stay focused and on track.

Find a mentor who'll keep you away from distraction and negativity.

Tip #9: Remind yourself of your past successes

Failure can distract you. A lot.

Some negative people can distract you. Significantly.

And that makes it easy to slide away into apathy and negative thinking.

Constantly remind yourself of your past successes.

And keep reminding yourself that you're capable for greatness.

Look Who Made It To The Top Of The List

LEARN MORE about Wisconsin Camps

Having been lucky enough to work with kids as much as I have, I can say that most of the generalizations made about modern children are false.  They are smarter more respectful than they are given credit for, they can be separated from electronics surprisingly easily, and aren’t as overly sensitive as some claim.  Something I can’t disagree with, however, is that for whatever reason they seem to have less resolve.  When something goes wrong, there is a lack of perseverance and willingness to step outside of their comfort-zone.  

One of the magical things about Overnight Summer Camps is that it remains one of the last places where a kid can develop some grit.  Grit is a difficult thing to define, but it’s impossible to miss when you see it.  Grit is not just a way to describe a cowboy in the old west, and it is more than just falling off your bike, dusting off your knees, and hopping back on.  Grit is being honest with someone even when it hurts.  Grit is speaking in public on weak knees.  Grit is the ability to overcome.  Overnight summer campsare the perfect environment for this to emerge in someone because it provides so many safe and healthy opportunities to overcome our fears.

A lot of children share a basic and understandable fear of the unknown.  Whether it’s sailing, starting a fire or going on an overnight camping trip, there are so many activities a kid will try at camp for the first time.  There is a good chance they won’t be good at everything, and that’s ok.  At Swift Nature Camp, a summer youth camp we aren’t afraid to let our kids fail, because it builds resilience and teaches us three very important things about what happens when life knocks us down.  First, we learn that we must find the courage to get back up and try again.  Second, we learn that if we have friends and loved ones there to encourage us, conquering our fears becomes a little more feasible.  And third, we no longer see failure as the end, but as a steppingstone to accomplishment.

In a world that is changing and growing at a faster and faster rate, having the grit to throw yourself into uncomfortable situations and come out on top is a more useful thing than ever.  It eases my mind knowing that  summer kids camps  can offer this to the children of today and of the future.

Learn More About Overnight Summer Camp

Summer Camps in Minnesota has been a part of childhood for over a century. Historically, camp was just a chance to get children away from the cities and get out in nature to learn outdoor skills. Today getting out in nature is just as important as it was over 100 years ago. In addition, the benefits of increased self confidence, being screen free and positive social skill development are just some of theadditional benefits of an overnight summer camp experience. So as parents, we understand that summer camp has a positive impact on our children. Yet, sending our children out into the woods to a camp with people we do not know and with no phone is a very scary idea for most parents. Picking the wrong camp can create a terrible experience for your child and cause them to never want to go to any camp again. So doing your leg work firt is very important.

Here are 3 Must Do's before you send your child off to the Northwoods of Minnesota:

1) Scour The Website
              Every camp has a website. Yet, not all websites are created the same, be sure to look past the smiling campers faces. What is the feel of the site? Was it created by a camp director or was it built by a professional company that puts all the latest bells and whistles on the site to impress you and your child. Next, does the site have the information? Read, read, read, This day and age we all want to do things fast and get them done, but remember, you are sending your most important asset out alone to an overnight summer camp in Minnesota. For instance, at Swift Nature Camp they have a parent section with a section "Policies that Protect Campers" . Having a section like this helps show that they are dedicated to child safety, even the things that are so bad nobody want to talk about them. Remember this, any summer camp can create a website, and all websites are advertising, they are not going to tell you the bad stuff that happened at camp last year, so it is important to know who stands behind the site and the summer camp you are sending your child off too.

2) Talk To The Camp Director
              Every camp has a leader. This position sets the tone for staff development, camper and parent interactions and camp safety. For many camps this is a part time position and often given to a person who is still in their 20's with little experience. I once called a camp in Minnesota and they told me that I could not speak to a camp director because they don't do that. When I inquired why, they mentioned they did not have an overnight summer camp Director yet. By calling the camp directors you have the opportunity to ask questions about the philosophy and feel of the camp. Do you feel the Director understands children and knows how to manage a staff of 18-22 year old staff members. The camp director is the most important person at your summer camp be sure you chat with them and have your questions ready in advance. SummerCampAdvice has a worksheet to help pick the right camp .

3) Ask For References
              References are the key to knowing that the overnight summer camp you pick is the right one for your child.  As parents, talking to references will help give you some insight into what another parent thinks about the camp. The best way to do this is call the camp director and ask for at least 3 references. This will help prove that the camp has relationships with its families and is not just processing children through its program. Questions to ask the parents might include: Was your child homesick? What did the camp do to help? or Why did you select this camp? Don't forget that talking to references can be children as well. So talking to the camper has great insight. Some questions might include: What was your happiest time? Why? Did you ever feel scared? Your child might even put together a few questions they feel are important and then they can ask them of the camper. Talking is important dont text, dialog is important and the tone of the conversation can give you even more information. Remember this is a fact gathering task so be open 

Overnight summer camps in Minnesota have a very good safety record, better than public schools in Minnesota. As parents, we want more than our kids being safe at camp. We want our child to benefit from all that camp provides. We know that summer camp provides a place for kids to learn to swim, sleep in a cabin and sing around a campfire, they can be rewarded with personal development skills that can help them in the classroom, in their relationships and in whatever calling they choose.  At our camp we often talk about the Magic of summer camp and when I ask campers and staff what this means the answer that I most often get is "Swift Nature Camp creates a place where I am my BEST Self" and isn't that the best thing we as parents want for our children summer camp experience?

Swift Nature Camp is an overnight nature camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend traditional summer camp activities while increasing a child's appreciation for nature, science and the environment. Swift Nature Camp offers traditional summer camp activities along with an environmental focus. Campers enjoy an active Nature Center, Pet Zoo, and Department of Natural Resources sponsored programs, plus recreational activities that include canoe and backpack trips, horseback riding, swimming, arts & crafts, team courses, archery, sailing, water skiing, tubing and sports.

Our special Discovery Camp is a nurturing program for first-time overnight campers, offering additional staff to provide support and encouragement to overcome homesickness and build confidence. The program welcomes no more than 50 first-time campers, and the special attention that this intimate group receives is the reason that more than 92% of them wish to return. 

Jestem dyrektorem obozu letniego dla dzieci i młodzieży ale przede wszystkim jestem rodzicem. Obserwując  zjawisko spędzania wielu godzin przez nasze dzieci przed ekranem komputera lub telewizora  ogarnia mnie przerażenie. Co się stało, że najmłodsi zamienili zabawę na świeżym powietrzu na długotrwałe  przesiadywanie w zamkniętym pomieszczeniu przez elektronicznym urządzeniem? Jeszcze nie  tak dawno, pamiętamy to ze swojego dzieciństwa, kiedy dzieci miały wolny czas, beztrosko bawiły  się z rówieśnikami, czytały  książki, goniły po podwórku i sąsiedztwie. Dziś wybierają ekran komputera, tabletu czy telefonu. To nowy styl życia, który przejęła nie tylko młodzież. Dochodzi do takich paradoksów kiedy rodzice karząc dziecko  zobowiązują go by wyszło  z domu. Dla nas karą było gdy rodzice zabronili nam wyjść do kolegów na podwórko. Często my dorośli nie tylko nie sprzeciwiamy się takim sytuacjom ale sami promujemy taka formę wypoczynku. Być może czasem zwrócimy naszym dzieciom uwagę by odłożyły komputer, czy telefon ale tak naprawdę nie wiele to daje. To od nas, jako rodziców, zależy czy dzieci  zachowają zdrowe proporcje bycia " na internecie" i " poza internetem".

Ile czasu twoje dziecko spędza przed ekranem? Dwie godziny, trzy, pięć...? Ostanie badania naukowe wykazały, że dzieci i młodzież w wieku 8-18 lat spędzają przeciętnie 7.5 godziny dziennie przed ekranem. Co w tym takiego złego? Efektem takiego stylu życia sa problemy z koncentracja uwagi, problemy wychowawcze, trudności w nauce, w zasypianiu, otyłość czy powolny zanik tradycyjnych relacji międzyludzkich. Lekarze opisują nową etiologię nadciśnienia tętniczego u nastolatków, która wynika z wielogodzinnych sesji  “online” spędzonych na grach komputerowych. Młodym ludziom coraz trudniej  nawiązywać kontakty " twarzą w twarz". Ekran to rozrywka i często dla tzw. świetego spokoju pozwalamy dzieciom na taka formę zabawy. Przyjrzyjmy sie sytuacjom  codziennym  np. w restauracji. Nie rzadko siedząca przy stole rodzina podzielona jest na tych, którzy rozmawiają  patrząc sobie w oczy( to zwykle starsze osoby) i tych, którzy wpatrzeni sa w ekran telefonu i nie sa zaangażowani w rodzinna rozmowę. Jeśli chcemy zmiany, wszyscy musimy podjąć w tym celu odpowiedni wysiłek. 

Zarówno my rodzice jak i dzieci powinniśmy ograniczyć czas spędzany przed ekranem.  Nie możemy mieć wymówki, ze był ciężki dzień w pracy dlatego siadamy przed telewizorem i sie relaksujemy. Jako rodzina usiądźmy razem i porozmawiajmy o tym nowym stylu życia. 

1) Ustalmy reguły według których wiadomo będzie ile czasu przed ekranem jest dopuszczalne. 

W naszym domu jest to przywilej, nagroda za odrobione lekcje i wykonanie innych obowiązków. 

2) Tak jak jest zakaz prowadzenia pojazdów i tekstowania, wprowadźmy podobne zasady w domu. Np. Zakaz tekstowania przy stole w czasie posiłku, czy po określonej godzinie.

3) Dzieci często uciekają sie do ekranu bo nie wiedza co z sobą zrobić. Zachęćmy je do zabaw z naszego dzieciństwa, niech pogonią po podwórku, łapią żaby, robią łuki z patyków a jak zimno na zewnątrz niech budują z LEGO, rysują, układają puzzle. A jak jest możliwość to i my zaangażujmy sie w rodzinny spacer, czy wycieczkę rowerową. 

W naszym domu tradycją stał sie wieczór gier planszowych, na które często wparszaja sie znajomi. Czas spędzony przed ekranem jest ograniczony do 30 minut po wykonanych obowiązkach. Raz w tygodniu mamy wieczor kiedy zasiadamy jako rodzina i oglądamy film odpowiedni dla nas wszystkich. Czy taki styl życia jest łatwy? Zdecydowanie nie, to nasz wybór. Ale za to możemy więcej czasu spędzić razem i wcale to nie jest takie złe :)

Niech to będzie wyzwanie dla całej rodziny. Walczmy z tym technologicznym potworem i nie dajmy sie mu pożreć. Postęp technologiczny jest wspaniały i ważne jest by dzieci potrafiły z niego korzystać, jednak nie pozwalajmy by przez to zanikały międzyludzkie relacje czy tradycyjne wartości.

Pozdrawiam serdecznie, 

Jola Lorenz

Wlasciciel obozu Swift Nature Camp

www.SwiftNatureCamp.com

Summer Camp is Expensive
As parents we often make decisions that are hard. Yet, we know these decisions are the best for our children. Summer Camp is no exception. We know deep down that camp will help our Childs independence, empathy and team building skills Yet, camp is expensive. So you want to save money on summer camp? Who doesn't! The best way to save money on Summer camp is to start looking as soon as possible. Here is a quick list of just a few of the ways to save on your Childs overnight camp experience.

1. Summer Camp Special Offer

Many camps may have special offers. It will take research to find them. Some camps will even reduce prices if they need to fill beds at a particular session. So having flexibility in dates and talking with the camp director you may be able to save. Right now Swift Nature Camp is having  A First timer Summer Camp special offer saving nearly 30% off the session price. 

 Every day parents search the internet for sleepaway camps near me. Yet. parents often are not searching the right key terms. No, overnight camps near me is not the right way to find a residential camp. The issue is the "near me". When picking a camp it is natural for a parent to assume that the closer it is the better it will be for thier child. Nothing could be further from the truth. Distance should only be one of the factors to consider.  Why? Because systematically asking the right questions will help ensure the success of your child at overnight summer camps. 
Here are a just a few of the more important questions:

• How long are the sessions?
• How are staff trained?
• Is an RN or Doctor on staff?
• Are activities going to be enjoyed by your child?
• Coed or single gender?
• How many children, How many staff?
• Are cell phones allowed?
• What is the cost?
• Is the camp Accredited by the American Camp Association?

To find a detailed list of questions to answer please see Summer Camp Advice.

The above list is only a beginning of question needed. So you can see that when you get to the point of thinking about location many other areas of concern should have already been addressed. Parents need to realize they need to trust the camp and its directors in order to achieve some of the benefit of an overnight camp. This is why it is important for parent to contact the directors and create a personal relationship with the camp.

• Here are a few Reasons to choose a camp farther from home:
  It's worth it: There may be something about a camp that makes the travel worth it. If your child wants to specialize in sailing or mountain climbing, you'll need to choose a camp that meets those need. A parent may have a preference for a camp that they once attended, even if they no longer reside in the area.

• Diversity: While your camper may not see as many familiar faces in a camp far from home, this may be just what he or she, and you, want. Children may want to separate their camp life from the lives they lead the rest of the year, having the opportunity to begin the program with a 'clean slate'. Campers often have a sense of freedom when they go to a camp where they don't know anyone.

• The distance doesn't bother the camper or parents: Many children find traveling alone, even by airplane, exciting rather than scary. Assuming that proper travel arrangements are made, you may be comfortable with a camp away from home.

• So when picking a sleep away summer camp do your homework. Realize that many many considerations need to be made and  and be aware that overnight camps near me should not be your first search term. Using this, you will limit your options and minimize many of the benefits summer camp can provide.