p m a C r e m m u Why S Is Now Moren Ever Important Tha YO UR CH IL D GR OW CA M P EX PE RI EN CE S HE LP D RE LATI ON AL LY AN , LY AL IC YS PH Y, LL NA IO EM OT
The events of 2020 had a significant global impact, especially on those who will experience their longterm aftermath: children and adolescents. While processing this is important, it is essential to begin to shift our mental energy forward. How can we prepare for the future? How do we keep young people healthy and safe, yet also ensure that they are growing emotionally, physically, and relationally? How can we take inventory of children’s education, relationships, and general activity in order to set them up for developmental success moving forward? As a mental health professional who works in the camping industry, I am convinced that summer camp is no longer an optional add-on to enrich a child’s experience while they are out of school. Instead, the summer camp experience is a vital need for all children and adolescents in 2021 and beyond.
Camp provides a forced sabbatical from technology/screens
www.nolafamily.com
| april 2021
There has been a marked rise in screen usage amongst all ages for obvious and essential reasons. While technology has been crucial in allowing work, education, and connection to continue, we also know that screen time negatively impacts mental health over the long haul, especially in children (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).
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Using screens as a primary means of relational connection during key periods of childhood development is particularly alarming. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we strategically and consciously create space for young people to move their bodies, be outside, and connect face-to-face with peers. Camps are one of the only contexts that provide this pivotal combination for extended amounts of time: authentic connection with others in an outdoor, technology-free context.
