Re: Summercamp Home Sickness

Hi all,

Barry gives a lot of good info for Summer Camp Homesickness. I notice that
it seems to be in the evening when things slow down that a boy gets
homesick. Usually, saying he has a stomach ache. Barry, the planned
activity at night is a great idea. I believe it's important to keep the boy
at camp for the week, because if mom picks him up in the middle of camp we
usually don't see him again. We also don't allow phone calls home because
it makes it worst.

One thing that I did that helped (out of desperation). I went to the Drug
store and got a clean medicine bottle and filled it with mint candy
(Tic-Tac). I give one to the boy with water and tell him it will calm his
stomach (Peppermint does calm the stomach) and it will help him sleep
(placebo effect). I also tell him they are very strong and I can only give
him one a day at night before bed. It works, placebo effect is strong.
Now please keep in mind I talk to the parents about this before going to
camp. I don't want a boy coming home and telling his parents that "Mr.
Hill gave me a pill that made me sleep." I know there is a thin line here
with regard to questions about drug abuse, trustworthiness, and
deceitfulness. And I'm mindful of being careful how I use this to help the
boy and use other counselling tools to help the boy deal with overcoming
his homesickness.

Just one other story, we had a young fella who had a great time during the
day but was in tears every night with a stomach ache. Thursday, at
breakfast this little guy started complaining about his stomach hurting
which was unusual in the morning. One of the Assistants who just showed up
for the second part of the week (not battle weary yet and clear minded)
asked this Scout when was the last time he had gone to the bathroom, number
two. He said he thought it was the last time he was home. We immediately
sent him to the one of the nicer latrines (actually a real restroom with
porcelain toilets) with an older Scout. I saw him later and asked him how
he made out. He told me, with this I can't believe I did it voice, that
he filled the whole thing. He also told me that the guy cleaning the place
yelled at him for stinking the place up. But this young Scout had a great
time the rest of camp.

YIS,
Wayne Hill

ASM, Troop 165
Gloucester City, NJ, USA
Camden County Council
Lekua 77 Brotherhood
NE-IV-71
...a good ole " We are all products of our choices "
Bobwhite too... " Scouting is a good choice "

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message
• Previous message
• Maybe in reply to
• Next in thread