How to Prevent Homesickness

Is your kid going away to camp? Here's how to prep them.

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!)