Category: Parenting Center

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Visiting Day is this week!

blueberrieswsteph1
Stephanie blueberry picking with the Jets!

Visiting Day is this week! The campers are now quite settled and into the FLOW of things.  They are in a groove, and adjusting beautifully to camp life with their camp family.  The homesickness hump seems to be behind us and we are so proud of our campers for working through those feelings and for our staff for helping them grow.

Camp offers such an amazing opportunity for kids to actually experience and work through homesick feelings…where else would they learn to work through them in such a safe, nurturing environment?

We are halfway through the summer, and our campers are excited to be reunited with you for the day!  As you can imagine, some of those feelings of homesickness may re-emerge.  We can assure you that they will now be able to cope more easily with these feelings as they now have the skills.

What’s actually cool about homesickness is that once they are able to cope with those feelings, they emerge into what’s called a FLOW STATE (Summer Camp Handbook tells us more about this…it’s a great read; check my Reading List!).

For basically 3 straight weeks from Visiting Day through the end of the summer (including Camp Trips, Olympics and Bunk Feast) our campers get to experience 3 weeks of FLOW, which is amazing f`or their mental health.  In the off-season, we are all so busy and scheduled that this FLOW STATE is unfamiliar.

Be prepared…when your campers come home they will actually be coming off a camp-high! They may even seem addicted to camp! In addition to so many other wonderful things, camp is actually good for their mental health (another gift you are giving your child).

So homesickness is totally normal…your child by now knows how to cope and is surrounded by his Camp Family (who won’t let him/her fall).  The only thing you may want to also prepare for…when your child comes home in just a few weeks, they will actually be Campsick…and there’s only one cure for that!

We look forward to seeing our Camp Families on Visiting Day and getting into a FLOW STATE starting July 22nd!

~Stephanie

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Stephanie’s Top 10 Book List For Camp Parents

An interview with Stephanie Reiter by our Social Media Director, Lauren Forman

photo 2 Over the years, our Camp Towanda families have enjoyed Stephanie’s Recommended Reading List for parents.  It is available in the forms & documents section in CampMinder and includes a healthy list of books that Mitch and Stephanie have read and like to share with our camp families.  We have even heard from some parents that they chose our camp because of Stephanie’s amazing reading list!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stephanie, surrounded by some of her favorite parenting books (and there are dozens, if not hundreds).  I enjoyed watching her eyes light up as she recalled how each of these books had a profound impact on her approach to parenting and being a Camp Director.

As a parent myself, I was eager to get a peek inside Stephanie’s library as she shared with me her years of experience as a mom of two boys, and her insights and observations as a Camp Director for almost over 25 years.

We hope you can find some “Rest Hour Time” to read a few of these inspiring gems:

STEPHANIE’S TOP 10 BOOK LIST FOR PARENTS:

  1. For parents of young girls: Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher: An accurate perspective on what girls are going through today.  The Girl Within by Emily Hancock: Identifies the period between 8-10 and the onset of adolescence.
  2. For parents of boys: Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon: Insight into the psyches of boys and how adults can help them flourish.  The Wonder of Boys by Michael Gurian: Insight into what boys need to become strong, responsible men.
  3. For parents with two or more kids: Siblings without Rivalry by Faber and Mazlish: In so many ways, at camp bunkmates are just like siblings in the Camp Family.  We apply many of these ideas to help our camp brothers and sisters get along.
  4. For parents to read before sending their kids off to camp: Homesick and Happy by Michael Thompson and The Summer Camp Handbook by Chris Thurber.  Both of these books are great if you are feeling a little anxious (which is normal) about sending your child to camp for the first time.  These books help you remember what a gift you are giving your child.  How you should be proud of yourself that you made camp a priority for your family, and how time away from parents helps kids grow.
  5. For campers to read before coming to camp (only if they want to!): Off to Camp by Myra Pravda.  This is a Camp Towanda favorite and helps kids prepare for the summer camp experience.
  6. For a calmer approach to parenting: Blessings of a Skinned Knee and Blessings of a B Minus by Wendy Mogul.  Oh, how I loved these books! The first is for parents of younger children; the second is for those with teenagers. If you only read one book, make it one of these!  Based on Jewish teachings of the Torah, these books provide answers to raising self-reliant and compassionate children in a culture of competition and materialism.
  7. For how to reap the benefits of camp, year-round: Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry) by Lenore Skenazy  This book is a bit of a throw back to how people parented years ago… when we were less fearful and overprotective and gave our kids more freedom to be independent.  Camp is a wonderful outlet where kids can reap the benefits of being “free-range” while still in a very safe environment.  It’s the way the world used to be…or should be!  It’s an interesting perspective and a good read!
  8. For parenting in today’s world: How to Raise Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World by H. Steven Glenn & Too Much of a Good Thing by Dan Kindlon.  Good for parents who are challenged by raising kids in a self-indulgent world.  Opens our eyes to the difference between being a good friend and a good parent.
  9. For bully-proofing our children: Take the Bully by The Horns by Sam Horn.  Unfortunately, we now know as adults, there are always going to be bullies in life.  This book teaches and empowers your children how to be bully-proof.
  10. For kids (and for us to remember what it’s like to be a kid!): Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, by Carol McCloud, Oh the Places You’ll Go!  by Dr. Seuss and Growing Up Is Hard by Dr. Laura Schlesinger.  All three of these have a wonderful perspective and great life lessons. I would encourage you share them with your children and read them yourselves.
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With Stephanie’s bookshelves filled with so much more than just parenting books, we had to ask her some more questions about the other books in her collection.

 4 Quick Questions for Stephanie

  1. What book changed your life? The Mind Body Prescription by Dr. Sarno.  For so many years I experienced very bad back pain.  This book was recommended to me by a Senior Staffer at Towanda and literally changed my life.  It helped me realize the powerful connection between the mind and the body.  Thanks to this book I can now say I am PAIN-FREE and have such a deeper understanding of myself (without undergoing any medical intervention).  Crazy, but true!
  2. What books do you want to read next? The Great Gatsby (before the movie comes out) and a book about the artist Cezanne.
  3. Have you ever considered writing a book?  After reading The Mind Body Prescription, I would love to write something about how TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome) presents itself in children.  I see so many children experiencing physical pain related to their emotional stress.  I would love to give children these tools to live free of pain…and just be happy, healthy kids!
  4. With all of your creative endeavors, what are you currently working on? My website! I am so thrilled to be a part of a new online gallery called Gallery Sprout where you can see all of my work and read about what inspired me to create each painting.  I cannot wait to get to camp this spring and paint a little before we kick it into high gear! You can visit my new gallery here.
Visit our Pinterest Page, where you can find links to all of these books and more camp inspiration!

 

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Got Internships?

In today’s world, we understand and appreciate the decisions young adults make about how to spend their summers.  Summertime is often thought of as a time to decompress, enjoy life, connect with friends and have fun.  But it is also a time to grow.  For young adults, summer usually also means growing professionally and preparing for your career.  But how can you do this while you are working at camp?  Have you considered getting an Internship at Camp Towanda? Here’s everything you need to know about interning at Camp Towanda and why we think it could be the best thing on your resume and for your career!

What kinds of internships are available at Camp Towanda?

Our camp offers internship opportunities in education, media, marketing, graphic design, photography, human resources, food services, sports management, hospitality, coaching, counseling, speech pathology, occupational therapy and nursing.  Did we miss something? Let us know and we will see if we can create a program for you.

How do I become an Intern at camp?

Becoming a summer intern at our camp requires that you first apply for a staff position.  If you are hired as a counselor, our Senior Staff will assist you in applying for an internship, processing the necessary paperwork, and connecting you with your summer mentor.

What’s the difference between an Intern and a counselor?

First and foremost, you are being paid to work at Camp Towanda as a counselor.  As an Intern, you will be juggling your regular daily job responsibilities and it will be up to you to motivate yourself in completing your Internship responsibilities.

How does the Camp Towanda Internship program work?

Once you fill out the necessary paperwork through your school, we will assign you a Summer Mentor.  We have an amazing Senior Staff with incredible talent and ‘real-life’ experience to share.  At the beginning of the summer, you and your mentor will create a program that meets your school’s requirements and Camp Towanda’s expectations.  Together, you will create a list of responsibilities, projects and milestones that will help you achieve your Internship goals.  Coming out of the summer you will be able to walk away from camp with at least one tangible project (a presentation, a video, an essay, etc.).

What are the cost implications for becoming an Intern?

It’s great you are looking at completing an internship at camp…Before you get too involved you need to evaluate many factors, including the costs.  Most universities will charge you for the course credits.  It can be well over $500 per credit hour.

Why should I Intern at Camp when I can intern at a big office in the city?

When you Intern at camp you get the best of both worlds.  A real world job that’s also FUN! Plus, you have a lifetime ahead of you to spend in an office or in the field, right?

Still need convincing (or do your parents need convincing)? 3 more good reasons to Intern this summer at Camp Towanda:

1.  You get paid (plus free room and board!)!  So many internships these days are unpaid and don’t even give you the experience you signed up for.

2.  You get to make a real difference in children’s’ lives while learning real-world career-building skills.  Things like leadership, public speaking, responsibility and accountability…and that’s just your job as a counselor! When you Intern at Camp Towanda, you will also get REAL, HANDS-ON, CAREER-BUILDING experience.  We have plenty of opportunity to go around and we genuinely care about nurturing your success and future.

3.  Coming out of your Internship at Camp Towanda, you will have a networking community (aka Your Towanda Family) behind you to help you network in your career!

Sounds great…where do I start?

You will need to speak with the internship supervisor at your school to determine whether an internship at camp is relevant to your studies…. what objectives they would like you to complete…. how many hours would be required, what projects will you need to work on while at camp…and after camp, etc.  You will then need to prepare a proposal and submit to school for approval.  You can list our Staffing Coordinator as the on campus internship supervisor.

Anything else?

If you would rather follow a more specific course, we are affiliated with two college-credit courses: Gene Ezersky Safety College and Touro College’s Masters program.

Also, check out our blog entry here on “How to Make Camp Counselor the Best Thing on Your Resume”.

Still want more information, please contact [email protected].

Posted on by camptowanda

Pretzel Chicken Fingers Recipe

We were inspired when we recently heard about the American Camp Association’s recent partnership with Kids Cook Monday.  The Kids Cook Monday initiative encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family.  Because we think this is such a great idea, we will continue to share our camper-approved, healthy recipes, straight from our Culinary Cooking program here at Camp Towanda as inspiration for your family dinners. Enjoy!

What could be better? Pretzels and Chicken Fingers coming together in perfect harmony! When our campers made these at The Culinary Cookin’ Class at The Farm this past summer they said “I can totally make these at home!”  The most fun part…put the pretzels in a ziploc bag and stomp them into crumbs.  A work out, stress reliever and delicacy, rolled into one delicious lunch or dinner! P.S. they still taste great the day after when thrown into a lunchbox!

Send us your own favorite camp-inspired recipes to be featured on our blog (and you can even send us a pic of you and your creation!)–send all recipes and photos to [email protected].

PRETZEL CHICKEN FINGERS

2 LBS CKICKEN BREAST…CUT IN CUBES OR STRIPS

1 BAG WAFFLE CUT PRETZEL

8 EGGS

1 1/2 CUPS FLOUR…for dreading

Salt

Pepper to taste

GRAPE SEED OIL FOR FRYING…great for frying

1) CHICKEN BREAST INTO STRIPS ORCUBES 2INPIECES SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

2)TAKE PRETEZLS AND EITHER IN A CUISINART OR AS YOU CHILDREN DID PUT IN A DOUBLED ZIPLOCK BAG AND STAMP ON THEM WITH SHOES ON TILL CRUMBS

3)DREAD IN FLOUR….coating the chicken

4)DIP IN THE EGG….

5)COAT WITH CRUSHED PRETZELS

6)FRY IN THE GRAPESEED OIL ON MEDUIM HEAT

VERY EASY AND FAST…..

SERVE WITH KETCHUP, HONEYMUSTARD OR HORSERADDISH SAUCE

YOU CAN ALSO USE HONEY MUSTARD PRETZELS FOR A DIFFERENT TASTE….

Posted on by camptowanda

Healthy, Happy Campers!

By Stephanie Reiter

Several people have shared with us the recent article in the NYTimes about food at summer camp. Here at Camp Towanda we are all about kid-friendly, parent-approved healthy choices. Our nutritionist helps us create balanced menu so that kids actually eat, enjoy and try. We always serve fresh fruit throughout the day, and campers can find fresh vegetables, brown rice, pastas, and many other healthy choices at our extensive salad bar. We strongly believe that refreshing and nourishing snacks help keep our kids properly fueled for success here at camp (hey, just ask your kids about our Camp Towanda Fusion Water)!

At Camp Towanda our health and wellness initiatives go beyond the dining hall. When we came to camp in 1991, I decided to start a garden.  What started out as a passion project of mine has evolved over the years to become a haven in the center of Camp Towanda.

Fruits, vegetables and herbs aren’t the only things that grow in our garden. Our campers grow too!  The benefits of our garden program truly benefit the whole child, beyond just teaching healthy, natural eating:

“Gardening captures kids’ interest, teaches them nurturing skills, gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishments, introduces them to try healthful foods, and provides a way to improve and give back to the community. Working in a garden can be one of a child’s first experiences with care-taking.  Understanding that he is responsible for the growth or decline of the plants in the garden allows him to see the results of being responsible, protective, and gentle. Additionally, the delayed but inevitable gratification that comes with growing a garden teaches patience and self-confidence.”[1]

Beyond these universal benefits of gardening with children, our garden also serves another purpose here at Camp Towanda.  The garden is a safe, nurturing place during free time where campers can get a little extra TLC and a break from the day-to-day excitement.  It does for campers what a spa does for grown-ups!  The results are beautiful and campers feel confident, recharged and renewed to re-enter their daily routine.

I am also very excited about how we have been able to take some of our freshest ingredients (like romaine, corn and rosemary) and bring them to our Farmhouse where campers are whipping up delicious creations in our Camp Culinary program.

To learn more about our garden and other inspirational tips about gardening with children, visit our Pinterest board “Stephanie’s Garden”: http://pinterest.com/camptowanda/stephanie-s-garden.

[1] National Garden Association, “Why Youth Gardens”.

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How to Make “Camp Counselor” the Best Thing on Your Resume

By Lauren Eckstein Forman (Dorm 92) and the Social Media and Communications Director at Camp Towanda

I just got back from Staff Orientation and loved meeting the new group of 2012 counselors. We talked about social media responsibility and the role this amazing summer will play in their careers and futures. Following my session with the staff, some of them asked if they should put “Camp Counselor” on their resumes or Linked In profiles (you can imagine my answer!? YES!!!).  Our discussion was timely and one that is being debated in the press (read NYT Article: The Camp Counselor vs. The Intern). I shared with some of the staff my summer job experiences and gave them advice on how they can make “Camp Counselor” the best thing on their resume!

When I was 18, I spent the summer as a counselor at Camp Towanda and then at 19, was a counselor at a local day camp.  It was the perfect way for me to bridge my high school and college years and delay getting “a real job”.  What I didn’t realize then was that those would be the years that really helped shape my leadership skills.  I was in charge of 15 young girls that had different personalities, perspectives and needs.  This required personal experience, empathy, humor and persuasive skills to foster teamwork and to gain their respect and the respect of my fellow counselors.  These were all skills that I would later use in my career as an advertising executive.

When I was “tapped” to become Olympic General (Go Red Flintstones!), I continued to hone my leadership, creative and organizational skills. Orchestrating the apache relay, artfully assigning responsibilities for five days of Olympic activities, handling the high emotions and excitement of friendly competition among peers, and then writing and directing 200 campers for Olympic Sing all prepared me for the fast-paced business world.  It was that summer at Towanda that also gave me the confidence that would propel me throughout my career.

After my two summers as a counselor, I commuted to New York City for an internship at a prominent advertising agency. My internships gave me invaluable experience that ultimately helped me land a job at that same agency after graduation.  But my job as camp counselor primed me for success in the “real world” and was the most fun job I ever had (after all, you are only 20 once!).

Here are my top 5 tips for making “Camp Counselor” something to be proud of including in your Linked In profile:

  1. Become an Intern at camp. Think about your career goals and how you may be able to achieve them at camp. I know that Camp Towanda provides a diverse range of opportunities for not only campers, but counselors too.  You just need to think out of the box.  For example, if you want to go into marketing, I can offer hands-on experience in social media and communications. If you are interested in Hospitality, our Operations staff will take you under their wing.  If you are interested in Film or Graphic Design, inquire about interning for our very own “Erica Media” and help produce amazing content for our camp community. I could go on, but you get the idea.
  2. Camp is a place for networking. There is no better networking than with your camp family.  The bond you make with campers and fellow counselors lasts a lifetime.  I cannot tell you how often I have networked with former campers, counselors and alumni.  Any true former camper will also appreciate the value of “Camp Counselor” when they see it on your resume.  In fact, it is a huge icebreaker on interviews and allows you to convey the passion and energy you would also bring to the workplace.
  3. Take something away from the experience. I loved that the father in the NYT article encouraged his daughter to make a documentary of her experience as a Camp Counselor.  His daughter wanted to go into film, and this was the way he ‘allowed’ her to go away to camp. Having something like a documentary to parade around to interviews takes that “Camp Counselor” on your resume to the next level.
  4. Help employers understand what “Camp Counselor” means. Like the girl in the NYT article, understand the skills and experiences you gained from being a counselor at camp.  Think about which of those translates to the job you are applying for.  I promise you, there will be more skills and experiences from camp than your average internship.
  5. Learn more about yourself at camp. After camp you may understand things about you that you never realized before.  It may help re-focus or shift your career decisions in the future.  For example, before camp you may have wanted to go into PR (Public Relations), but after a summer of dealing with different personalities, sharing, developing, coaching and mentoring, you may decide to go into HR (Human Resources)!

Having rejoined Camp Towanda recently in my post-corporate-world years as Director of Social Media and Communications, I’m finding it every bit as challenging of an experience as when I worked for BBDO, Gillette or The Hershey Company.  By “thinking out of the box”, I was able to unite my career skills and my passions for camp in my most rewarding and fulfilling job yet!