Belief

With the first phone call home looming, we, at camp, know what to expect. Those tiny pangs of homesickness that most campers experience can sometimes flare into full-blown tears the minute they hear mom’s voice. As a parent, this is your moment to SHINE.

You sent your son to Manitou because you believe in camp. You believe that children should experience challenges and overcome them. You believe that an occasional failure or setback builds resiliency. You believe that they need to navigate social situations without you. Because you know when all of that happens, they become more confident. They become more independent. They become who they are meant to be. I know you know all that.

But I also know you worry. You worry that he won’t make friends. You worry that he’ll be upset if he loses a game. You worry that he’s not eating enough. You worry that he’s not loving every single second of the time he’s here. It’s your job to worry. I get that. But he doesn’t need to know all that.

He needs to know that you are confident that he will succeed at camp. Let him know that you trust the people that are at camp to support him. Tell him you believe that he can overcome any challenge he faces. Ask him to share all of the great experiences he’s had so far. Then send him on his way and trust that we’ve got this. He will come back stronger. He will grow in so many ways. He will be better prepared for the things that life sends his way. Keep on believin’.

• Sara