When it comes to extracurricular activities, how much is too much?

Posted on February 21, 2012 by admin

It’s a question lots of parents struggle with: How much is too much when it comes to extracurricular activities? Of course, there are days when the drive from soccer practice to karate to Hebrew school is enough to make any parent ready to cancel all the after-school appointments, especially when you’re eating dinner in the car yet again. But the structure, enrichment, socialization and skill development your daughter gets from those activities can help encourage healthy growth and make her more well-rounded. So where do you draw the line?

Child psychologist Dr. Janet Taylor recommends looking at your family’s schedule and then reducing commitments and activities by 10 percent.

“Overscheduled children bear the burden of stressed-out families,” Dr. Taylor writes. “After five hours of extracurricular activities, the benefit for children is lessened. Add in downtime.”

Overscheduled kids can end up stretched too thin to perform well in school and other pursuits, but living on the go doesn’t just take its toll on children. There can be negative consequences for parents, too. From the Huffington Post:

“We have a generation of mothers and fathers who want to be all things to all people,” said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, who specializes in adolescent medicine and behavioral issues at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “They are willing to do so much self-sacrificing for their child.”

Sound like you? Then it might be time to reevaluate what you’re booking this season. Now, no one is suggesting you become a selfish parent and refuse to shuttle your kids back and forth to their favorite activities. But, Ginsburg said, “There’s nothing more important for your child than for you to be doing well yourself.”

According to a 2011 New York Times article, having a warm, loving family life is as important to children’s development as all those enriching activities. If parents are stressed out over the time, money and energy that go into the extracurriculars, that takes a toll on that valuable family time.

From the New York Times article:

On a recent National Public Radio program, Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, said he and another economist could find no evidence that that sort of parental choices could be correlated at all with academic success.

“And my guess is,” he went on, “that when it comes to the happiness of kids, that kind of cramming has got to be negatively correlated. Being rushed from one event to the other is just not the way most kids want to live their lives, at least not my kid.”

So how do you strike a good balance between keeping your children active and stressing them out? The answer is sitting right across from you at the dinner table (or eating dinner in the backseat, depending on what’s on the schedule this evening). Keep an eye on your daughter’s moods. Read her body language when it’s time for ballet, lacrosse or Girl Scouts. And most importantly, ask her what she wants to do. Not only may her answers surprise you; she may learn something about herself as she decides. According to Dr. Taylor, “The process can help them think about what they like and provide an opportunity to discuss commitments, demands and expectations.”

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Story time at camp: ‘The Giving Tree’ and ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

At Bryn Mawr, we love tradition, and Friday nights are a favorite weekly tradition summer after summer. Every Friday of every summer, all campers and staff dress in white for Shabbat dinner. After enjoying brisket and matzo ball soup, we gather in the Apple O Theater for talent night and a story read by Jane.

Some of the stories Jane reads change from year to year as she discovers new books she knows campers will enjoy, but there are two best-beloved books without which no Bryn Mawr summer would be complete: “The Giving Tree,” by Shel Silverstein, and “The Velveteen Rabbit,” by Margery Williams.

“The Velveteen Rabbit” is traditionally read on the first Friday night of the summer. For those who may be unfamiliar with the story, it’s about a stuffed toy rabbit who learns that a toy becomes Real when it is truly loved by its owner – and “once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.” It isn’t until the Rabbit is separated from his beloved owner that he learns what it really means to be loved and to be Real.

“The Giving Tree” is another story about a relationship between a child and a well-loved object – in this case, an apple tree who gives selflessly to the little boy she loves as he grows up and changes.

These two stories are treasured chapters of camp lore. Older girls know them practically by heart, and you’ll often hear them mentioned in the alma maters our Bunk One campers write for Color War Sing. And since many counselors grew up with these classic tales, they also love to hear them read and share them with their campers.

But it isn’t just the stories themselves that are important – it’s their messages. “The Giving Tree” and “The Velveteen Rabbit” have become traditional stories at camp because they illustrate the most important value we want our campers to hold dear: what it means to love and care for someone else. In “The Giving Tree,” the tree shows her love for the little boy time and time again by giving up parts of herself – her apples, her branches, her trunk. In the end, she has nothing left of herself but a stump, but she is content because she is with the person she loves, and that is enough. And in “The Velveteen Rabbit,” the Rabbit is granted his greatest wish – to become a Real rabbit – because he became Real in the heart of the child who loved him so much.

We’re proud that Bryn Mawr is so spirited, has such a wonderful facility and offers such a wide variety of activities and programs. But nothing makes us more proud than hearing campers talking to one another about “The Giving Tree” or “The Velveteen Rabbit” and knowing that they have learned the importance of caring for one another. We love that campers treasure these stories and look forward to hearing them each year – and we especially appreciate seeing our campers carry these messages of love and giving into their daily lives, at camp, at school and at home.

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Teaching Children Responsibility

Posted on January 10, 2012 by admin

Traditionally, the beginning of the year is a time when we try to adopt new, better habits. On average, about one third of Americans resolve to lose weight each new year. (No wonder the gym is always so much more crowded in January!) Statistically, though, about 80 percent of those well-meaning resolutions will have been abandoned by February. Why? Well, it’s hard to make major changes to the way we are used to behaving, and even harder to make them overnight. Learning to be healthy takes practice and discipline, and it isn’t always easy, even when we know that eating right and exercising regularly are good for us.

The same goes for raising children to be responsible and accountable for their actions. A sense of responsibility isn’t something we’re born with, and it isn’t something that can be taught in one moment. Parents Magazine compares responsibility to manners – it’s a “learned behavior.” That means that as parents, we’re responsible ourselves for making sure we help our children develop an understanding of how important it is to take accountability for their actions. We can do that by giving them age-appropriate responsibilities and providing incentives and consequences for different kinds of behavior.

Chores & tasks

Giving children responsibilities around the house is a great way to teach accountability and show them how their actions can positively impact others. Even small children can start to learn responsibility by helping to pick up their own toys or clear the table. This article provides some good suggestions for ways to realistically and constructively involve kids in deciding what chores they do and how they ought to be done.

Follow through

If we tell a child to expect a consequence for a certain action and then don’t apply that consequence, we lose an opportunity to teach accountability. For example, if the rule is you can’t have dessert unless you eat all your vegetables, but we give our children ice cream even though they left all their broccoli and cauliflower on the plate, what we’re really teaching them is that the vegetable rule doesn’t really matter.  The best consequences in the world are completely ineffective if they’re never applied. The same goes double for incentives: If you promise a child a reward for a certain good behavior, make sure you come through when the reward has been earned. We have to follow through if we really want our children to learn that their actions have consequences that they can control by being responsible for their own behavior.

Responsibility and camp

Accountability and responsibility are a big part of the summer camp experience. Campers have daily age-appropriate responsibilities that teach them accountability and help them develop healthy independence, and counselors and other staff members are trained to help campers understand how their own actions affect themselves and others.

When your daughter is coming to camp for the first time, it’s a good idea to prepare her for the fact that she will have certain responsibilities at camp, such as making her bed and helping clear the table at meals. Her camp responsibilities may be different from her home responsibilities, but they are just as important; they help camp run smoothly for everyone. As she gets older, she will have more responsibilities at camp, such as having a Peanut Daughter, leading a Junior Camp activity day, and someday captaining a Color War team — a big responsibility, but one that she’ll be ready for after years of practice!

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Reunion: A little bit of summer in the winter

Posted on December 7, 2011 by admin

December — it’s the time of year that’s furthest from camp. Holidays, projects and exams, winter sports and vacations occupy our campers’ minds. That’s why every year around this time, when the days are shortest, we set aside an afternoon to revive camp spirit at our annual reunion in New York City. It was terrific to see so many of our campers and staff from summer 2011 this weekend!

Reunion is a chance for our campers to get together in the middle of the year, when it seems like summer will never come again, reminisce about the memories they’ve made in summers past, and get excited about the summer to come. Whether we’re signing reunion t-shirts, watching a magician, watching the summer highlight video or just hanging out and having a good time, reunion is a special time to celebrate the precious friendships that are formed at Bryn Mawr. Although it’s always a little strange to see our campers dressed in their winter clothes without a uniform T-shirt or tennis shoe in sight!

Our campers stay in touch with one another all year long, but they don’t often get to spend time all together with their bunkmates away from camp, and the excitement level at reunion is so high it can probably be detected by weather satellites! We never fail to get a little emotional as we watch the girls run into the arms of their “summer sisters.” Even with snow on the ground and frost in the air, it’s as though we’ve been transported straight back to summer.

That’s one of the special things about the friends girls make at summer camp — they are devoted, dedicated and close in a very unique way. Living together day in and day out, summer after summer, campers get to know one another as well as if they were sisters. When they see each other after a separation, it’s a lot like a family reunion. They pick up where they left off, as comfortable with each other as they were the last time they were together. It’s no surprise, then, that camp friends stay in touch long after their summers at camp are over, going on to be college roommates, bridesmaids, honorary aunts to one another’s children and friends for life. We know our campers talk about “living ten months for two,” or counting down the days until they can get back to camp, but when we see their excitement at reunion, we know they really mean it.

Reunion is a great time for the camp leadership and staff to be reminded of the importance of what we do, too. We love the chance to check in with our campers, recall the adventures of the previous summer and update them with the latest developments at camp. Winter is our planning time for camp, and seeing our campers gives us a great big burst of excitement for the summer to come and all the new activities, events and outings we’re setting up for next year.

More importantly, we get to see the happy faces of the campers we care for each summer as they hug one another and chatter about their plans for next year. It’s a wonderful reminder for us that what we do is bigger than making sure the tennis courts get resurfaced or finding the best dressage instructor for our riding lessons. We work to make camp a safe, loving place where girls can feel free to be themselves and confident in their relationships with one another.

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Tips for healthy kids this winter

Posted on December 2, 2011 by admin

Attention winter campers!  Fall has come and gone and cold and flu season is here!  It seems like once school starts and the thermometer drops, everyone starts to get sick — and the same cold gets passed around from house to house all winter long. We checked in with our camp nurses to get some tips for getting through the winter in great shape. They’re our resident experts on kids’ immune systems — and on what we can do as parents to make sure our children stay healthy and happy all year long. Here’s what they recommend:

Stay active

In addition to being important for general good health, exercise boosts immunity. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean kids can’t get out and play. Exposure to cold weather isn’t what makes kids sick; colds and viruses are more common in the winter mostly because we spend more time indoors in close proximity with other people. Encourage your kids to get outside and play all year round.

Don’t skip breakfast

Getting kids to eat a healthy breakfast can be tough. (Believe us, we understand. Try getting 350 of them to eat a balanced meal every morning!) But while breakfast isn’t necessarily the most important meal of the day, it’s a crucial part of your children’s morning. Kids need breakfast to help keep them energized and focused during the school day. Studies show that children who don’t eat breakfast are more prone to obesity and are more likely to rack up tardies and absences at school. Check out these fun breakfast recipes and more at Ready, Set, Breakfast!

Clean hands = healthy hands

Hand washing is the absolute number-one best way to reduce the spread of germs and sickness. At camp, we encourage girls to wash their hands regularly, and we also keep the Dining Hall stocked with hand sanitizer so campers can quickly and easily clean up at mealtimes. Get kids in the habit of washing their hands with warm water and soap before and after eating and after using the restroom, blowing their noses, coughing, sneezing and playing outside. Make sure they know to lather and scrub for about 20 seconds — about as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” two times.

Sleep tight

A good night’s sleep is absolutely crucial for children and teenagers. Tired kids have a hard time focusing in school, and a tired body will have a harder time fighting off a virus than a rested one. More importantly, sleep is essential to growth and organ development. While children sleep, their bodies produce growth hormone, and energy that’s used for other activities during the day can be diverted to promoting growth. If getting to sleep is a problem at your house, doctors recommend not keeping electronics (TVs, iPods, phones, video games) in the bedroom. Try to get kids unplugged before bedtime to help them settle down for the night.

Walk your talk

At the end of the day, kids will follow the lead of the adults they respect. (That’s why we spend so much time teaching our counselors how to be good role models.) So if you model the behaviors you want them to learn — staying active, eating healthy meals, hand washing, getting good sleep — they’ll be more likely to adopt them.

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Giving Back is a Year-Round Activity

Posted on November 1, 2011 by admin


Halloween is over and the holidays are on their way, and now is the time of year when we start to think about celebrating with friends and family. It’s also a time of year when many families take time to give back to those less fortunate.

At Bryn Mawr, we have always emphasized the importance of sharing with those who may have less than we do. Generally, our campers are fortunate enough to come from homes where they have loving parents, regular meals, a roof over their heads, and in many cases, opportunities and advantages that not all children have. At camp, we make an effort to promote a sense of generosity among our campers, and we have provided a number of opportunities over the years for campers to help make a difference in the lives of others by volunteering and raising money for charity. This summer, we were proud to be part of the American Camp Association initiative Making a Difference: Celebrating 150 Years of the Camp Experience Through Community Service. Campers participated by making cards for soldiers overseas, making toys for a staff member’s children who recently lost his house to an electrical fire and swam laps for Project Morry.

Of course, for more than a decade now, one of our most popular community service initiatives at Bryn Mawr has been our support of Morry’s Camp (please see our previous blog called Making A Difference: Camp and Communality Service), a program inspired by Dan’s mentor, the late Morry Stein, who believed in the importance of a quality summer camp experience for all young people. Our campers have swum hundreds of thousands of laps and raised more than $110,000 to support Morry’s Camp, and many of our Bunk 1 campers and Leaders in Training have had the opportunity to visit Morry’s Camp in person and participate in the good work that’s done there. Later this month, we will attend the 15th Annual Morry’s Camp Autumn Elegance Gala at Chelsea Piers in New York, an event that benefits Morry’s Camp and its year round programs for disadvantaged youth. If you’d like to join us in celebrating 15 years of summer fun for all, you can find ticket information at www.projectmorry.org.

Of course, Morry’s Camp is just one of many organizations doing good in the world, and there are many ways you and your family can give back to your community all year round. Check with your temple or church to find out what family volunteer opportunities are available, or call your local food bank to see if your family can sign up for a shift helping in the pantry. If your children love animals, consider volunteering at or collecting donations for the local animal shelter, or volunteer to foster a puppy that will go on to The Seeing Eye or therapy dog training.  There are websites that can connect you with volunteer opportunities as well, such as VolunteerMatch.org and VolunteerNewJersey.org. Volunteering with your kids is a great way to model generous behavior and show them that giving back can be fun!

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Celebrations at Camp During the Non Summer Months!

Posted on October 28, 2011 by admin

One of the things we love about camp is having the chance to watch our campers grow up. Every year at our end-of-summer Banquet, we are amazed as we look at the group of Bunk One girls leaving camp as mature, self-possessed young women — and think back to when they were Manor House campers who couldn’t tie their own shoes or pour their own milk!

As camp directors, we have enjoyed sharing in campers’ rites of passage outside of camp, too. We’ve celebrated with many of our campers as they have made their Bat Mitzvahs — and in fact, we’ve worked with more than a few campers to host their Bat Mitzvah celebrations at camp.

For many years, the Bryn Mawr facilities have enjoyed year-round use as the Bryn Mawr Mountain Retreat and Conference Center. Once the summer season is over, we begin welcoming school groups, corporate functions and weddings to campus. Our event spaces can accommodate large groups all through the year. But our very favorite Conference Center events are the Bat Mitzvahs our LBMC families have held on camp!

Since we started hosting Bat Mitzvahs at camp over a decade ago, we’ve been privileged to share this important rite of passage with quite a few camp families, and we’ve seen and done it all. A summer camp-style Bat Mitzvah can be a low-key, casual affair for a few friends, but we’ve also played host to beautiful formal events (you should see the dining hall transformed for a magical evening) and weekend family camp celebrations, complete with a day of Color War competition personalized with the Bat Mitzvah’s favorite themes and colors. We do our own catering on camp and work with local vendors for lots of events, so we can help set you up with a DJ, florist, hairstylist… you name it. (We can even find some Bunk One alumni to help you write Color War songs and cheers about the girl of honor!) Depending on the season, we can accommodate groups of many sizes, and we’ve had a lot of fun creating mini-sleepaway-camp experiences for our Bat Mitzvahs and their friends and families. Guests at spring and fall events can take advantage of our outdoor facilities, from the tennis courts and playing fields to the ropes course and zipline – and, if the weather’s warm, the lake and pool. How about a Bat Mitzvah bucket brigade, tennis tournament or canoe race?

Campers who have celebrated their Bat Mitzvahs at camp have shared with us how special it was to be able to mark this important event in their lives at a place where they feel they’ve grown up… and it feels especially satisfying to enjoy their big night in the same dining hall where they spent so many summer afternoons working hard at their Hebrew tutoring. Our Conference Center staff are also popular members of our summer leadership team, so the counselors and leaders for our Bat Mitzvahs’ special weekends are adults who know and love them. Sometimes we’ve even been able to arrange for favorite counselors, group leaders or program heads to attend as chaperones for the weekend!

(Brothers and others don’t need to feel left out… we also host Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and celebrations of all kinds, even if you don’t have a daughter who attends Bryn Mawr.)

If you’re looking for a unique venue for your celebration, you can learn more about Bryn Mawr Bat Mitzvahs by visiting our conference center website at www.BrynMawrMountain.com, or just give Dan a call at (888) 526-2267. They’ll be happy to talk to you about what a camp Bat Mitzvah is like and to put you in touch with our Conference Center team.

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Transitioning From Camp to Home

Posted on August 10, 2011 by admin

It’s hard for us to believe, but the summer is just about to come to a close! It seems as though the end of camp sneaks up on us every year. Color War, the last big event of the summer, is underway, and before you know it the girls will be packing up their duffels and boarding the buses home.

You probably aren’t surprised to hear that campers sometimes have a hard time settling in to the camp routine at the beginning of the summer. What you might not realize is that your daughter may find it challenging to adjust to life after camp! Bryn Mawr has become a second home over the course of the summer, and she’s gotten used to the routine of camp life. After seven weeks of sharing a cabin with a dozen other girls, eating meals in the loud, spirited dining hall and moving from activity to activity every hour, even girls who can’t wait to get home frequently need a few days to reacclimate to the peace and quite of home. (Even the senior staff and directors go through the same process of readjusting to the “real world” come August!)

In addition to the change of environment, your daughter may be emotional about leaving camp. It’s not at all unusual for campers to feel sad about leaving their “summer sisters” at the end of the season. Don’t worry — it doesn’t mean your daughter isn’t happy to see you! She might just need a little bit of time to get used to being away from camp… just like she needed time to get used to being away from home in June.

The post-camp blues generally fade within a day or two. In the meantime, you can help your daughter make a smooth transition back to home life by asking her to share her summer with you. Look at photos and video on the camp website together and listen to her stories about those moments. Break out the tennis racquets and get her to show you the new skills she picked up on the courts at camp. Admire her arts and crafts projects, listen to her Color War play-by-play, and let her teach you her favorite camp song or cheer. Sharing her memories and lessons from the summer is a great way for your daughter to ease back into life at home while continuing to cherish her camp experience!

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War Spirit Chains & Color War

Posted on August 9, 2011 by admin

Today is the last day of a very close Color War.  To help give a better perspective of  Bryn Mawr and Spirit Chains, an all camp tradition, a few former campers put together this reflection.  This reflection was read at last night’s Color War event.

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One an average day, it takes Bryn Mawr campers twenty minutes after reveille blows to pull on the day’s uniform, brush their teeth, and tie up their laces to be ready for breakfast. Even then, they still sluggishly walk to lineup, roused only by the smell of French toast sticks as they enter the Dining Hall. When the girls are awoken, however, by the urgency of Bunk One’s spirited cries, they are ready, alert, and energized within less than a minute. Surprisingly, the overwhelming rush of people and waves of noise approaching their cabins don’t alarm them. Rather, in less than an instant, the campers know exactly what is happening. A Spirit Chain is about to take place, and before you can say “Color War,” these girls are ready for action.

The campers wait anxiously on their porches, jumping up and down giddily as they anticipate latching onto the chain. Following Cabin One’s lead, the girls hold hands as they trot happily down cabin row, chanting the first spirit chain song. Once the circle is formed, it only takes one look around to see something remarkable unfold. The energy emanating from each individual camper is palpable, and it is shared with all fellow Angels and staff. Spirit chains have the ability to transcend the boundaries between camper and staff, regardless of age or experience. It is a cooperative effort – the first sign that Color War is less about competing with one another, and more about uniting through tradition.

It’s not necessary for the girls to know all the exact words to the songs. They somehow understand that it is more important to contribute their enthusiasm and energy to the Spirit Chain, even if that means simply clapping their hands and screaming for fifteen minutes straight.

It doesn’t take years of camp experience to appreciate why Spirit Chains are meaningful. Underneath the chants and screams, the stomps and claps, Spirit Chains uncover the heart of tradition that keeps Bryn Mawr alive – the true reminder of what camp is all about.

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An Outside In Perspective

Posted on June 19, 2011 by admin

Today, we hosted a parent panel for our staff members.  It allows selected parents to explain why they chose Bryn Mawr, what they expect and would like from our counselors.  It also allows our staff to ask questions and get first hand answers from our parents.   Through staff evaluations, we have found that this session historically rates as the most meaningful during the week.  Below is an email we received last year from one of those parents who participated in this session.

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It is not often that a person gets invited to look inside the guts of a business, a restaurant, a hotel, a school or even a home.  And, for good reason, most of us don’t really want to know what is on the inside – as long as the person, product or end result is what we wanted, we feel good about it.  Simply put, when you don’t want to risk the chance of falling out of love with something because you see too much – sometimes its just easier not to go inside.

I never really wanted to see inside LBMC.  In fact, I never really thought deeply enough about the inner workings of a girls camp to care. I just knew that it was considered a great camp that was safe and seemingly well–run. That is, until I had the chance to go deep inside.  I wasn’t invited in at the time the camp was fully operational with kids – rather, I had the chance to see under the hood at the most vulnerable time for a camp or a business  – when it is not yet open for business, when everything is exposed, when people are who they are – no pretenses, no show, no nothing.  It’s one thing to see a camp fully functioning with happy kids – it’s another to see what happens behind the scenes – and to gain a better understanding of why the kids are in a place to be happy.

What I saw and experienced, even surprised me – a 15-year camp veteran who held a senior leadership position in a respected boys camp for many years.  I saw a team of professionals doing what they do best – teaching, leading, inspiring and digging deep.  I saw young women and even a few men absolutely soaking up the lessons and opportunity. I saw a culture being articulated and understood and most of all, embraced. I saw people at work who genuinely understood the magnitude of the responsibility ahead. To many of the young women I spoke to, this wasn’t just a summer job, but an opportunity of a lifetime. That alone made me feel great about where my daughter was heading in a few short days.

I followed the counselors training schedule for an afternoon.  It was jam-packed with activities – real learning opportunities, both for them to learn about their responsibilities as well as for the camp’s leadership to learn about them.  Few businesses go to the lengths to train full time year round employees like LBMC does with their staff.  They understand the psychology and attention necessary to prepare their team for our children.

One of my highlights was getting to watch the “traditions” presentation and sing the camp’s alma mater.  It was moving – the camaraderie, the commitment and the detail of what my daughter was about to experience.  It was incredible to see snippets of every major tradition and planned highlight of the summer.

But, there was more.  I was put to work.  I had the honor (at first I didn’t understand it) of serving dinner and breakfast.  I had the chance to personally interact with people of all different backgrounds from across the country and globe.  I got to experience a genuine warmth and gratitude from the staff – just for putting eggs on their plate.  It was an amazing feeling.

I also had a chance to spend time with the male staff and to replace all the beds and mattresses.  There was nothing wrong with any of the oak framed beds and most of the mattresses were in fine shape – when I asked why – I was told that we wanted to build new beds that were more appropriate for our campers.  They didn’t have to, and quite honestly no one would know they ever changed them out, but they did it anyway. It is the story that I saw replicated again and again – from the bunks to the kitchen to the fields.  It was also a reinforcement of the type of people that are employed by the camp and the unusual level of commitment to doing it right – because it is the right thing to do.

I also got to see something that I wish I fully appreciated for my daughter over the first 2 years she has been at camp.  I saw Jane and Dan and their full leadership team meet for more than 4 hours discussing every single counselor in excruciating detail – going through their backgrounds, their job interviews and the notes from the days training sessions so they could perfectly match the personality and skill set to a particular set of campers.  At the end of the four hours, when I thought they were done, they shared that this meeting would be repeated at least 4 other times – not including the hundreds of the sidebar conversations about each of the individual counsellors.  And, that there were exercises designed to provide even greater exploration and assurance that the decisions they had made, were in fact the correct ones.

I had always hoped that my daughter’s counselor would be well vetted and trained. And, I had hoped that the camp would give her a good counselor. I never, in all my years in camping, have seen the absolute obsession with getting it right – for the kids and the counselors.  It is as close to a science and an art as any professional placement I have ever seen.

There is never a guarantee that a child is going to be happy.  But, by going to the lengths they do, they give every child a chance. They put each child, long before they get to camp, the chance to be herself and to succeed.

I wasn’t just there to look inside for the fun of it. In reality, it was accidental.  I was there as part of a specific staff training exercise (and since I live far away, I had to fly in the day before).  Along with 3 other parents, I was invited for a one hour session to talk to staff from a parent’s perspective  (and in my case, not just a dad but a former counselor, group leader.)

Before last summer this had never been done before at LBMC, or probably any camp around the US.  Remember, a camp counselor is not a parent, but a young woman who acts as a parent, an older sister and friend for the seven weeks our daughters are at camp.  Jane and Dan believe it is important to not only have experts come in and train staff, but actual parents. The result was an understanding of why we entrust our daughters to LBMC, and what we hope they will get out of the summer.  The counselors left with an even deeper respect for their role and an understanding that every child is some mom and dad’s little girl, and that individual needs to be understood for who she is and loved all summer.

As I left camp on Father’s Day, away from my family after spending two days as an insider, I realized that the greatest gift I could have ever been given, was given that day – the absolute understanding that my daughter is in the safest, most loving and caring environment with people who not only know, but are truly committed to doing it right.

Jane and Dan are the difference.  I have never seen two people so committed to others – employees and campers alike.  They demonstrated an understanding that that regardless of the history, the rich traditions, the activities, the friendships — it is the individual that matters – from top to bottom and everyone in between.  As they shared, some people may think knowing a name is important – what is important at LBMC, is really knowing the child — each child, each family, each counselor and each other.  I learned that its not the surface conversation, but the in-depth understanding and connection that makes the camp what it is.

As I left camp, after feeling that I had been there for the summer, I was flooded with emotion.  I don’t remember ever being as awestruck, inspired or passionate about something as I am about LBMC.

Now, I can only wait with absolute excitement and childlike anticipation for my daughter’s bus to arrive at camp in 4 days for what I know is the beginning of an amazing summer with people who know her and care for her deeply.  Thank you for allowing me inside. Thank you for letting me see it the way that it truly is. Thank you for doing it right. And, thank you for loving my daughter for who she is.

- Brad Deutser

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