The end of summer camp and the return to home and school can be an emotional and challenging transition for both parent and child. No one wants to rush the close of summer but this camp season does end soon (sadly).

When kids get back home from camp, what they will most likely need and want is some downtime to reconnect with friends and family and catch up on sleep! After a fully scheduled summer of activities, allow them unstructured time before the start of school without a new schedule of activities.

At the same time, summer camp should have taught your child important life skills. Reinforce those new behaviors and incorporate into the school year routine. These include:

• ·Camp has taught your child chores he/she may not have had at home, such as making the bed, cleaning up and even meal tasks. Don’t fall prey to old habits.
• ·Camp has promoted making new friends, writing (instead of texting), verbal communication, appreciation and enjoyment of the outdoors, teamwork and responsibility.
• ·Camp has shown him/her that fun is possible through ‘unplugging,’ without cell phones, electronic devices, television and electronic games.

This new kind of healthy fun and lifestyle should be encouraged and continued throughout the school year. Partner with your child to keep these summer behaviors alive year-round!