In two weeks, my kids will be attending sleepaway camp for two weeks in the Catskills. Together. This means that my husband and I will have time to ourselves for the first time in… well, forever? We don’t have relatives nearby who can babysit, so these two kid-free weeks will be momentous. Either that, or I’ll spend the entire time missing and worrying about them.
Speaking of worrying, I am of course concerned about homesickness. Research suggests that most kids report feeling homesick at overnight camp, but that only about 10 to 20 percent experience it intensely. Still — that’s a lot.
Social scientists have, thankfully, studied the factors that can protect against homesickness. And they’ve found that parents can do quite a lot to mitigate homesickness before camp begins. Here’s are seven science-backed strategies that may help if your kids are going away this summer. (Some of these can also ensure a more seamless transition to day camp, by the way!)