Are you ready to send your child to Camp?
The American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Camps are equipped to handle all aspects of your child’s diabetes care. However, if children have never spent the night away from home or have difficulty interacting with others, they may not be ready for an overnight camp. Also, you may not be ready to let them go.
Are you and your child ready for Camp?
Take a minute to answer the following questions:
| IS MY CHILD READY? | AM I READY? |
|---|---|
| My child has stayed away from home before | I talked with Camp staff, including the medical director and Camp director |
| My child would like to meet other children with diabetes and make new friends. | I talked with kids and parents who have already gone to Camp about their experience |
| My child is interested and excited about Diabetes Camp | I am ready to let the Camp staff care for my child and know he/she will get good diabetes care |
| My child already knows some of the kids or adults that will be at Diabetes Camp | I am prepared for the emotional separation from my child |
| My child talked with other kids who have already gone to Camp about what to expect | I am eager for my child to have an opportunity to build self confidence and independence in their diabetes care |
If you answered “yes” to most of the questions, your child is probably ready to spend a week or two away at Camp and you’re ready to let your child go.
If you answered “no” to most of the questions, think of ways you can help your child and yourself prepare to go away to Camp. Here are some tips.
Prepare your child for Camp:
- Go over the FUN stuff — cool activities, being away from mom, dad, brothers, sisters, and learning new skills.
- Discuss the things that may be hard, like getting along with others, making new friends, lack of privacy, following the rules and schedule, being in a strange place, and being away from friends and family.
- Talk about homesickness and how it’s normal to miss home when they go away to Camp. But stress how much fun they will have while at Camp.
- Practice! Plan a few sleepovers for your child with friends or relatives to help them prepare to be away from home.
Prepare yourself for Camp:
- Read the testimonials from parents who were nervous about sending their child to Camp.
- Log on to the Parents’ Camp Message Board to talk to other Camp parents.
- Ask your American Diabetes Association’s Camp staff any questions you have about Camp.
- Remind yourself that Camp is a safe place, your child will have fun and you’ll get some time to reenergize!
