my son

christina260 · Post by **christina260** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 9:35 pm

My son is going to be 9 years old and we are sending him to space camp in Huntsvile at the end of June. Does anyone have any words of advice for him or would anyone like to share there experiences with him. He is going for 6 days and will be going on the space track. His name is Kyle
Thanks

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 9:42 pm

Tell him to have fun and enjoy the company of those around him! The best advice i could give is to read some of the topics in the this forum and just find out some hints from other campers. Most importantly though is still HAVE FUN!

Post by **Vincent** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 11:11 pm

It's not uncommon for kids to get homesick...especially (but certainly not exclusively) the younger ones.

Make sure you let him know that he's going because you want him to have fun, and that you'll see him at the end of the week, etc.

And do that a lot before he goes so that he'll feel just fine and enjoy what will hopefully turn out to be an amazing week at an amazing place!

meg · Post by **meg** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 11:50 pm

i still even get homesick. lol.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:56 am

As people have mentioned before, be sure to tell Kyle to have heaps of fun and that you will see him when he gets home. Encourage him to tell you his stories from the week, and maybe even keep a journal of his trip.

Give him a phone card (and teach him how to use it) and encourage him to phone home to talk to you, his parents. I don't know if this is more comforting to the kids or the parents, but it's always nice. Don't get too worried if Kyle doesn't ring home every day, if at all, as schedules are heaps busy during the week, especially in the summer.

Ensure Kyle has a hat (with his name on the inside), as it can get quite warm in Alabama in the summer. The hat provides some much needed shade while outside. Sunscreen is already on the packing list, but don't forget it!

I don't know if Kyle is into taking pictures, but giving him a disposable camera or two (with his name on them) doesn't hurt. Teach him how to use the cameras before he leaves and tell him to take lots of pictures of his new friends.

If Kyle is flying by himself, make sure he has some things to do on the aeroplane like reading books, writing in a journal or writing a story, listening to music, playing cards, having some snacks, etc. especially if the travel time is more than an hour each way.

Oh, and you may want to mention this on the phone rather than tell him beforehand (as he will likely forget): get addresses of his friends so he can write to them after he gets home. I know that was always exciting for me when I went to summer camps. Yes, if Kyle does phone home, it's a good time to remind him of some things like taking pictures, getting addresses, and always tell him to have fun (but NEVER tell him that you miss him - it encourages the whole homesick thing...) and that you will see him when he gets home and he can tell you all his stories.

Hmmm... other advice... have heaps of fun. It shouldn't be too difficult to have fun, since Space Camp is an incredibly amazing place for everyone.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:56 pm

My best advice is to retiterate a couple things others said and to expand on some.

First the cameras having one or a couple is agreat idea. And make sure to tell him to carry it with him all the time except maybe for water activities i learned that the hard wa6y when i put my camera away before dinner a couple of times and missed some amazing pictures at night. Also make sure to get pictures of his team mates. I know pictures of my team help to bring back some really great memories from my days at camp.

Also like said before to make sure and get the addresses email addresses etc of all of his friends on the team. And also tell hime to try to get to know all of his team members and make as many friends as possible some of the people i have met at camp are still great friends. I wish we had email back in 1991 and 1993 so i could have kept in touch with people from those teams more easily. I regret not getting to know more people on my first 2 teams. He may not like everyone or get along wih everyone it happens sometimes but he needs to try to get to know everyone on the team and he will most likely end up with some great friendships.

Space camp is an amazing experiance and for some its once in a life time. I know he will have a great time. Encourage hime to take in everything enjoy every moment of the experiance and have fun.

spacy chick · Post by **spacy chick** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:20 pm

Just a small little comment...the first time i went to camp i was so excited that i was actually there that i guess i didn't eat that much of my dinner...a little after lights out i realized i was starving...so much that it was all i could think about and couldn't just go to sleep....i had to go down the the nurse's office and get crackers! it was really embarassing

so maybe put in a pack of crackers in his bag or let him see this so he wont do it....i dont' know, just thought i'd share

have fun!

.: Pj :. · Post by **.: Pj :.** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 6:43 pm

Dinner ...

( now further words needed ) !

Grts from Europeans with better eating-habits

Mwoehahaha !!!

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:30 pm

I don't know about your son's personality, but I was always bored and called my mother several times in the first day and a half. Then I got to know my team and was too busy to call her again until maybe my layover to make sure she knew I was coming home. We're all harping on the phone thing, I know, but that and cameras are the two biggies for your son. I would also send him with a blanket (maybe even a pillow, if you trust him) because the bedding they provide are well-known for being less than adequate, probably as a theft-deterrent system

.

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:24 pm

Or shear efficiency... Good point though benji. The hab is always cold at night!

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:00 pm

Keep in mind though that Kyle, her son, is only 9 years old and will be residing in Habitat II for his week at camp. I do not know if Habitat II is as cold as Habitat I, but I doubt an extra blanket would be necessary. (I could be wrong.)

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 10:35 pm

When i stayed in hab 2 it was moderatly warmer but i brought an extra blanket and made use of it.

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 8:44 am

last time i was in hab 2 was during an eald and it was even colder than hab 1 usually is

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 2:12 pm

Hmm i remember it as being warmer but it was the summer of 2001 which was quite warm if i remember correctly so maybe that had something to do with it. *shrugs*

HurricaneErin · Post by **HurricaneErin** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:27 pm

I would suggest bringing a blanket and a pillow. Hab 2 is freezing during the summer. We constantly had space campers asking for more blankets. I suggest the pillow because I for one don't care for space camp pillows; they're flat and not that big.

meg · Post by **meg** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 3:08 pm

and even if its not cold, some thing from home is always nice.

ApolloXI · Post by **ApolloXI** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:18 am

Make sure he gets some good sleep a few days before he goes becuase he might find it hard to sleep the night before. Also while at camp he will be so excited he might not sleep very well. There times where he will be so tired that he will be asleep before his at hits the pillow.

meg · Post by **meg** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:04 pm

or during briefings. *cough cough.*

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:47 pm

yeah ive done that too many times to count

spacy chick · Post by **spacy chick** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:36 pm

haven't we all...