Train
up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)
I cannot believe that today is the last day of May. This month has passed by so quickly, that I never got to provide an update that our son was selected to attend the National Flight Academy program. I am excited to share that he was one of one hundred lucky students selected to represent the Memphis metro area. I am even more excited to share that the expense of the program was sponsored and paid for by FedEx, strong community advocates for STEM education.
So with that news, we entered a new
season. As a corporate sponsor, FedEx provided transportation from Memphis to
the naval base in Pensacola, FL. As the parents of an only child, last night
was our first time handing off our child to complete strangers for a nine hour
bus ride that crossed five state lines. Sure, he has attended sleep away camps
before (in 2013, he was selected to attend the Lonestar Leadership Academy near
Dallas, but we dropped him off and made sure that a he and the camp had the emergency
contact number of a close family member, if needed). In this situation, we had
to trust that we have raised a good child and prepared him to represent his
family, his city, and the program well.
Although sending our child off for a
week was semi-new to us, the NFA program provided parents and students with a
handbook that clearly explained all protocols and procedures. That came as no
surprise, considering that the camp takes place on a military base. I am
sharing the guidelines for anyone with children attending their first sleep
away camp:
Conquering Home Sickness
The key to dealing with homesickness
is to prepare the child in advance:- Do ask a close friend or relative to register for the same session your child is attending.
- Do have your child spend the night with friends or relatives.
- Do discuss what the program will be like before your child leaves home, addressing any concerns.
- Do not tell children you will rescue them if they do not like the program.
- Do assure your child of your love.
- Do send along a favorite stuffed animal.
- Do not go into great detail about what your child may be missing at home.
- Do acknowledge your child’s feelings.
- Do reassure your child of your love.
- Do reassure your child the program is an opportunity for children to grow, mature and gain independence.
- Do not mention how much you miss your child.