Letters Home

Receiving a letter in the mail at camp is such an exciting surprise.

I remember saving every letter I received when I was a camper and still have them in a box in my parents’ house.

As a parent, receiving a letter in the mail can be just as exciting, and probably more surprising.

I empathize with all parents who open the letter with high expectations and anticipation of hearing everything about how their son’s camp experience is going.

Who are their friends? Do they like their counselors? What activities have they done? How is the food?, etc.

Our days at Manitou are packed, and there isn’t a lot of time to write. When they do write, it is often during rest period, which is after lunch, or at night, before bedtime. Campers often have full bellies, tired bodies, and may be missing some of the comforts of home when they sit down to write their letters.

Adding to the difficulty, by the time you receive the letter the information is already a few days old. Any parent who has had a child at summer camp could look back at some of these letters and have a good laugh. However, for the first-time parent, finding this perspective is sometimes difficult. Please know that your son is progressing every day and learning a lot about himself. If you do receive a letter and have concerns, please contact a director to discuss.

Do you have any old letters that you wrote home as a camper or that your camper wrote to you? What are some of the best lines you remember?