Letters from Home

Going to camp soon? Have questions about camp? Post them here for those that have gone to answer.

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Revan
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Letters from Home

Post by Revan »

I post an appeal to the parents of Space Campers on Hab1.

I ask you to please refrain from sending letters from home, from anyone, during your child's stay at Space Camp.

The reason I ask this is because Space Camp isa VERY immersive environment. After the second or third day, you start to feel as if Space Camp is your home, as if you belong there. I'd bet my left leg that I could get anyone on this forum to agree.

You start to treat your fellow campers not just as friends, but as family. A saying that we developed in twelve day:
You get to know someone better in twelve days by spending every second with them than you do getting to know someone throughout your entire life.
I definitely say this is true. Let your child have that experience. Let them make a family away from home, let them bond.

Just take what I have to say in to consideration.

~Revan
A person who goes to Home Camp, and returns home nearly every year for six to twelve days.
Space Camp 2005, Team Aldrin.
Space Academy 2008, Team Charon
ASA 2009, Team Von Tiesenhausen
12 Day ASA 2010, Team Liberty Bell
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Conan
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Home at Space Camp

Post by Conan »

I have to agree completely. I only attended Space Camp as an Adult for 8 days, but even after my first 3-day camp, it felt like home. When I returned for the 8-Day camp my friends were surprised when I just walked into the training center floor like it was my living room. After we all finished the camp, they understood. All of our team became close friends and have had several reunions and have kept in contact for 15 years. I have returned "home" several times since then.
Conan
1988-Adult Lev. I
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Revan
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Post by Revan »

Thank you so much for your words, Conan. :) I'm glad I am not alone in my feelings.
Space Camp 2005, Team Aldrin.
Space Academy 2008, Team Charon
ASA 2009, Team Von Tiesenhausen
12 Day ASA 2010, Team Liberty Bell
street
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Post by street »

I'll also add that inundating your child with mail (and trust me, I see this!) can sometimes backfire!

If your child is the least bit homesick, a ton of mail exacerbates the situation; especially the 'we miss you so much' variety!

If a teammate of your child sees your child getting 3 and 4 letters and packages a day (I am not exaggerating!) while he gets none, he might think 'they've forgotten I'm alive' and all of a sudden we have an outbreak of homesickness (it's contagious).

One piece of mail for each trainee for the week is enough.

Also, don't expect or demand that your child call home every day. See the above posts. They are immersed and having fun! The week goes far too quickly for most children. As I tell many a parent who calls during the week: 'If you haven't heard from them or us, everything's in good shape!' Some children feel pressured to call home, even though they don't want to. That's a sad thing to see.
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Boomerang
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Post by Boomerang »

sreet did i ever tell you the story of the mother who threatened to call the police because she thought the camp had kidnapped her daughters. IT was tuesday night i believe and they had not called home at all for the week and no matter what i told her about us callin g if they had not arrived she was livid.

Actualy i think you were there that night as well but were a supervisor at the time. I think Paul took my radio call and it was taken care of quickly.
Jason original callsign Loverboy
SC 1991
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Adult Alumni Camp 2007
Adult Alumni Camp 2008
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SpaceCanada
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Post by SpaceCanada »

From my experience running camps for kids, we often have ten times more parents with separation anxiety than kids with homesickness. In over 10 years I have seen dozens of paranoid parents and only three or four truly homesick 7-12 year olds. (And the kids were far easier to calm down than the parents...)
- Jennifer -
Youth ASA 6-Day 1998 1999
Adult ASA 8-Day 2004; Alumni 2007, CSC 2013, 2015, 2017
street
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Post by street »

Oh yeah, Boomerang, I remember that night well! Sad to say it was not a singular case. It happens almost every year. I'm still amused by the story Paul tells of the kid that showed up with no luggage for an overnight program. Parent had no idea the kid was going on a field trip, even after signing the paperwork!

Space Canada, you are right about that!!
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