Every summer our daughter goes to summer camp. She looks forward to it every year. I can't believe next summer will be her last opportunity to go to camp before she goes off to college.
Our daughter started going to summer camp when she was in middle school and has gone every year since. She finally graduated from camper and kitchen help to camp counselor this year. Every year I send her a care package with candy and other treats and she always looks forward to receiving it.
Our daughter just returned from spending two weeks on a ministry trip to Honduras, was home for one day, and then is going off to church camp for a week. I knew we wouldn't have much time to talk between trips, so I decided to write letters to her to send to her at camp.
I wrote to her about some of my day-to-day activities and about what she was missing in the news. I wrote about Hurricane Dennis and how worried I was for her so far away from home. I told her she was always in my prayers and how much I missed her.
Just in the two weeks she was gone she missed her baby brother's hair falling out and her brothers' first colds. I knew she missed her baby brothers very much and missed their baby hugs and kisses. I told her about what they were doing and that they missed her too.
Because we like to spend a lot of time talking about our spiritual lives, I shared with her what I had been learning in my daily devotions and shared what my prayers were for her.
I wrote three letters to my daughter to open on different days and included pictures of her brothers that she likes to carry around with her wherever she goes. I packaged up the letters with some candy and sent her care package off to her today.
If you decide to write to your child at camp, here are a few tips:
* If your children are young and this is their first time away from home, make sure to send several letters to let them know you're thinking about them and that you miss them.
* Have other family members write to your child also. Kids love to receive mail.
* If you have a child who would be embarrassed by letters from home, just send a care package with some of their favorite candy or other small items. One year I sent my daughter a pair of Sponge Bob boxer briefs, and they were the hit of the camp.
* Be creative with your packing. You can use a 2-liter pop bottle as a mailing container. Cut a slit in the side to place items in it and then tape over the slit. The kids will get a kick out of seeing what's in the bottle.
* Depending on how long it takes the mail to get to the camp or how long your child will be gone, you may have to mail the package the day your child leaves, or even before they leave.
* If you know any of the other kids at camp, like your child's closest friends, don't be afraid to send them a note or treat too. I often send thinking-of-you cards to some of my daughter's friends, and I know they love receiving mail from people other than their parents.
In this day and age, letter writing is becoming a dying art. If my daughter keeps the letters I wrote her someday they will be a special keepsake for her, capturing an exciting time in her life.
We don't always take the time to do little things for our kids or tell them how we feel about them. Writing to them at camp is a great way to keep in touch with them while also sending them a welcome treat.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her web sites at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and http://www.creativehomemaking.com
weekly home cleaning Highland Park ..Do you want to create a deeper, more loving relationship... Read More
"The best blush to use is laughter: It put roses... Read More
Those of you that have children know what an excursion... Read More
I look out of the window as I am writing... Read More
The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the... Read More
Here are fourteen spontaneous time-outs, specially designed to help you... Read More
Back to school preparations are in full-swing. Soon, the first... Read More
Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They... Read More
Compulsory attendance laws are school authorities' first assault on parental... Read More
An apology is a sign of strength, not weakness. Sometimes... Read More
The time you will need to teach your children the... Read More
Many young people don't know how to study efficiently and... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer... Read More
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
The legend and myth of the Tooth Fairy is a... Read More
Julia Roberts recently gave birth to twins: Hazel and Phinnaeus.... Read More
My kids ask me all the time to take them... Read More
Finding out that a child has been born with a... Read More
Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson... Read More
Speaking as a Michael (a Hebrew name, meaning "Who is... Read More
Do you remember how you first learned the alphabet? I... Read More
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More
In the news, we hear and see an increasing number... Read More
After giving up my profession to become a wife, a... Read More
whole house cleaning Park Ridge ..School authorities often complain that classes are too large. They... Read More
There's a new trend for party entertainment. It seems as... Read More
There are many useful jogger stroller accessories out on the... Read More
According to a September 2004 study by the RAND Corporation,... Read More
The cost of being a parent and raising a child... Read More
There are moments in a parent's or grandparent's life, when... Read More
10 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Children this... Read More
The key to lifelong learning is reading and writing. When... Read More
Q. My daughter has gotten very good at manipulating us,... Read More
1) It's not my (pot, beer, cigarettes, etc.), I'm just... Read More
1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More
Dads, please let me encourage you to change some things... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
I really like all natural remedy for Attention Deficit Disorder... Read More
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Results of the Spanking Poll on Rexanne.com: Voters - 233Percentage... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
Teachers know that children thrive in an environment with routines,... Read More
The least flexible character in all of the stories of... Read More
Backpack? Check. Notebooks? Check. Ink-pens? Check. Clear Skin? Mommmm!If you... Read More
"I wipe my baby's chin with my college diploma and... Read More
One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More
The internet is a dangerous place for your children. Don't... Read More
We want our children to do the right thing, especially... Read More
"Get down from the table top right now! What are... Read More
Here are some tips that I have picked up from... Read More
Parenting |