Hello friends! Adam Trufant here. Our campers are happily adventuring in our mountains and our in-camp activities today, and all are looking forward to this weekend which will be full of special programming and fun! We continue to be delighted with how these sessions are unfolding and I feel tremendous confidence in our staff at each camp to accompany your children with grace and good leadership.
As any parent can imagine, camp is an exceptional place to learn to push yourself in the context of our many activities. It’s also a great place to learn a little bit better how to connect with other campers and staff, to put words to what you’re feeling, and to navigate inevitable conflicts with grace and clarity. We flood the camper experience with “guideposts” of wisdom, scripture, and stories to help them along their way through the camp sessions. However, each child chooses their own path and make their own decisions during their everyday. No one can live their lives for them, no matter how closely we accompany them. What can a parent expect from our leadership staff when a camper bumps up against a tough moment on their journey at camp?
At camp, we work hard to give everyone a job, validate their individual experiences, challenge and teach them, and confirm through all of our actions they are seen, known, and loved. We also impress upon each child that they they have what it takes, they have the stuff of success and resilience, inside their own heart and soul. When a child has difficulties finishing a hike, getting to the top of a climbing wall, learning ANY skill, giving honest feedback or articulating what it is exactly that is bothering him or her, we work hard to build this “self trust” and to accompany them towards the REWARD of SELF CONFIDENCE. We also want to help build the “self trust” Dr. Becky refers to in the brief video below.
“I believe you”, “I know this is tough, but I just know you’re going to figure it out”, and “That thing that feels strong to you, that no one else can see or measure, is real”, these are wonderful guidepost phrases we can share with one another along our individual learning journeys. Parenting is not an easy task and certainly carries its’ ups and downs. However, with love, presence, and the support of a “village” to help in raising a child, one can receive the reward of watching children step into their glorious destinies of self trust, community awareness, and the promise of joy. It is our hope at CKC to be a solid support for our camp parents on this journey, a guidepost towards growth in virtue and self knowledge. Please know we’re praying for you and please pray for us!