Camp Woodland Blog

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. -William Arthur Ward

Camp Woodland is excited to participate in #CampKindnessDay #KindnessEvolution. We are joining camps across the country to intentionally focus our programming around kindness.  Acts of kindness occur every day at camp, and the best part is that campers take that spirit of kindness with them out into the world and spread it around. Kindness in the camp community is visible in every smile, every word of appreciation, and in countless acts of empathy and friendship. It happens every day organically, but we are taking time to recognize it on July 24th.  We hope to fuel a positive cultural shift to more fully incorporate the practice of intentional kindness and care into every aspect of our society.

When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world. -Harold Kushner

Here are some ways that campers FEEL kindness from others this summer:

• I don’t have to be perfect and it is OK to make a mistake
• My opinion is respected
• People are nice to me and include me even though this is my 1st year
• Things are explained to me when I don’t understand, and I always feel part of the group
• I am comforted when I am missing home
• I am encouraged by others in activities
• Others listen to me and what I say is taken to heart when I am sharing something

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou

Here are some ways that campers SHOW kindness towards others :

• I try to cheer others if they are having a bad day
• I do my part to clean the cabin even though I won’t get to take part in a “Clean Freaks” party
• I let others borrow my stuff (even if I don’t want to)
• I talk to my cabin mates, respect their opinions and make sure that everyone is comfortable
• I help others when I am finished with my job during cabin clean-up and explain what is happening to new campers
• I don’t get upset when others sit on my bed
• I try my hardest to include everyone in all that we do

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. -Amelia Earhart

by Susan Austin Short, Woodland alum and parent

We all know our children will get homesick. Six weeks is a long time to be away from home. It’s only natural that they will miss us, the comforts of home, and the routine and known entities about being home. (Not to mention missing their connection to electronics -most kids probably go through withdrawals as they detox from their phones or other electronic devices.)

I was no exception when I attended camp. I still remember crying on the porch of Silver Birch- what seemed like every night – after dinner and before evening activity. That was my worst time of day. But, on the flip side, I also remember being comforted. My own homesickness didn’t curtail me returning to camp for eleven summers. I loved camp like it was a part of me, probably because it was. Homesickness was just part of the deal.

Then why did I panic when my own 12 year-old daughter started telling me she was homesick much more this summer, didn’t know why, and wanted to come home? She had changed her mind and could I come visit after all? (She had told me multiple times leading up to camp that she did not want me to visit her this summer. She wrote me a letter the first week of camp confirming, “You can cancel your reservation. I don’t want you to visit.”)

Okay, Okay, I get it. Honor she’s growing up and just cancel the darn reservation. This is what we want for our kids! Become more independent! Rely on the friends and counselors to help you through the tough times! Mommy isn’t going to be there for every challenge or setback to help you through! This is a part of what being at camp for the whole summer is about, right?

I embraced her independence as best I could and canceled the reservation. Case closed.

Then the letters started coming about how homesick she was. I started doubting the choice to cancel the visit. I worried she would feel abandoned if I didn’t come. I wondered if there was something more serious going on that she couldn’t tell me about in a letter -that only seeing her would make the difference. But, I also knew from my own experience that when parents leave after a visit, the kids usually dip even more. It can be helpful and reassuring to be with them, but when they leave again, it can feel worse. Was this to the point that that temporary setback was worth it?

Her sadness was in between comments like, “The aquatramp was really fun!” or “I passed out of level 4 in swimming,” but I was still stunned and worried. This communication was from a girl who barely wrote letters her previous summers, and now I was getting 4 or 5 a week.

I checked in with camp leadership to ask the counselors if they thought it would be better or worse if I came. The feedback was to visit – that this could help her over the hump for the last 3 weeks.

I found a hotel! I reorganized responsibilities with my family and work at home! I was going to see my baby and make everything alright again! I was needed! Mom to the rescue! (Easy Ego)

That first hug was amazing. Of course. And, it was so good for me to see my daughter in the flesh, confirm she was safe and sound, and see her in a few of her activities. To listen to her tell me about some of the wonderful occurrences and some challenges was only further confirmation that indeed all was well. In fact, I’d even say she was thriving.

As I said to JoAnne after spending some time with my daughter the first day: “She is beyond fine.”

She was going through typical challenges at camp. It’s just the way it is. I was with her for 2 activities on Friday, and 3 Saturday morning. We stayed in the camp environment, and I left quickly after a last hug. We had our time to talk. I had time to see her in her world. And, ironically, it was just enough time for me to begin to annoy her; thus reminding her of one of the many reasons why she was counting down the days until camp all year: to get away from Mom. 😊

Would she have been okay if I hadn’t visited? ABSOLUTELY. I may have even robbed her of some additional learning and growth by coming. I’ll have to live with that possibility. But, I would have spent the rest of the summer wondering if I had let her down by not coming. This time, I don’t regret my decision.

If there’s a next time, though, I just might make a different choice.

by Aron Christopher (Camp Mom and Woodland alum)

I was awoken one night by the sounds of a barred owl calling. I lay there, taking it in and celebrating the closeness to nature that I can experience at camp. While here, there are no amenities to keep me comfortable except for the cool Woodland breeze and the ebbs and flows of humidity and temperature. Far away from air conditioning, with the windows open and all the nighttime sounds surrounding me, I sleep as part of nature. I don’t particularly enjoy the bugs that can sometimes join me in my cabin, but I take solace in knowing that this means that my air is a little fresher.

I played golf recently with a pinecone and a stick with a tilted end. In a world where we need to have everything and need to buy our children their own set of golf clubs to teach them a love of golf, it’s rather reassuring to watch children enjoy a good game of pine cone golf.

Being a full time working mom in the suburbs and coming to camp seem like two completely polar opposite sides of myself but I am astounded at the fulfillment that both leave me in different, yet complementary ways. Although many of my friends may have been puzzled at my desire to leave my comfortable amenities to spend the summer at camp, I think that, just possibly, this deep connection to nature that I am experiencing will allow me to see more subtle beauty in the nature around me even when I’m far, far from camp.

Can you spot the hummingbird?

First off, birthdays are the B-E-S-T at camp. If you are the birthday camper, each cabin enthusiastically wishes you a happy birthday and sings happy birthday to you at morning assembly. At rest hour you get a special phone call from your Mom and Dad, and at the end of the day the camp directors throw your cabin a birthday party with a homemade cake and a sparkler to top it off.

Maddie celebrating her 7th Birthday!

My daughter, Maddie, would not celebrate her birthday at any other place. How do I know? She has never spent her birthday anywhere else. I was very fortunate that my life took a positive turn 7 years ago, and the Jordan Family invited me to come back to camp to connect with our alumni and start a few new camp marketing projects. I never thought in a thousand years I would be packing my 11-month-old baby and spend 7 weeks in Northern WI (especially since I live in Virginia). I never thought in a million years that we would continue the annual pilgrimage to WI and Maddie would spend every birthday at Camp Woodland for Girls. But here we are – Maddie turned 7 years old last Sunday!!! This year was more special than ever, because she is now a full time camper celebrating with her cabin mates in Starshine.

Maddie’s Cabin – Starshine

You heard it right, my daughter just turned 7 years old is a full-fledged camper for 6 weeks. Like all first year parents, I was nervous. Will she change her underwear everyday, wash her hair, eat anything at meals, and be able to keep with the older girls in activities? I soon realized everything would be ok when she quickly stopped calling me Mom and started calling me Lee! She also stopped referring to her younger siblings as her family members and only refers to them as the “day campers”.

The “day campers” formerly known as Maddie’s siblings

The super cool thing is that I now get to see the “fruits of my labor” pay off. Maddie is the quiet girl at school. She does what she is told and sits back and watches everyone else. Teachers weren’t sure she was learning anything until she took her first test. They soon realized she was absorbing everything.

Maddie riding Snoopy

At camp we do not need her to take a test to know that Maddie is learning so much. She is a doer- loves to sing, tell jokes, rides an enormous horse with confidence, and is part of a cool little crewe called the Starshine Cabin to put on skits at campfire. I have a feeling she is going to be an unstoppable 2^nd grader this fall. If not, that is ok, because I know she will always be an unstoppable Woodland girl.

Maddie’s first birthday at Camp!

When campers try something new, there are feelings of vulnerability and unease.

Lauren loving gymnastics!

We sometimes allow self-doubt and negative self-talk to tell us “I’m terrible at this,” or “I probably won’t be good at this” we say to ourselves.  But at camp, everyone embraces a can-do attitude.  Starting on the first Sunday at activity promotions, every activity area leader tells the ALL girls to sign up for THEIR activity, no matter their skill level.  It quickly becomes clear that anyone can do anything they set their mind to at camp and that beginners are respected. Feelings of, “Maybe I should know how to do this before I start” fade away.  This sets the stage for a community of supporting each other, no matter what the level. Even those girls who are nervous about trying something new quickly become more confident and proud of their determination.  It’s only the end of the first week of activities and many girls have already felt the assurance of progress. So many levels have already been passed and goals have been set. This lesson is such an important one to learn to carry us through life – “I tried something new. It was hard at first, but I got a lot better. I can do hard things when I set my mind to it!” Think of how much confidence this lesson, learned many times, can bring to the emotional toolbox of a child.

Annie trying riflery!

Angie said, about trying archery for the first time, “At the beginning it felt weird and new and also exciting.  I was afraid of the arrow!  Now I’m more confident.  I gained confidence by just starting to do it.  I even just passed a new level!”

Alice said, about trying riding for the first time, “It was so scary at first.  I was afraid of tipping over and I didn’t even know how to hold my hands or place my feet.  Now I can hold my hands correctly and place my feet without anyone telling me.  I am excited every day to find out which horse I get to ride.  I can stop the horse by myself and I’m not scared anymore!”

Maddie said, about trying riding for the first time, “I was nervous about riding and scared that I might fall off the horse.  Now I feel good and confident because one time, the teachers were holding the reigns and they let go and Max (the horse) ran for a second and I was fine.  So now I know I’ll be ok!”

I can’t wait to see how much progress, not only skill progress, but also the emotional progress of gained confidence, determination and bravery, the second week of activities brings!

Caroline trying horseback riding!

-Written by Aron who’s working in the office this year (also a camp mom, a 5th grade teacher and a former Woodland Counselor!)