PACC: Self-Care and Routines
Disruptions in morning or bedtime routines can be a source of frustration for both parents and children on a daily basis, especially if you’re trying to get out the door on time or settle down at night. The same goals are in place at camp: the cabin group must arrive to the dining hall for breakfast on time, and a good night’s sleep is a major priority while enjoying camp!
At home, your camper has YOU to give them gentle reminders, keep them focused on tasks, and doublecheck that they’ve got their tshirt on right-side-out before walking out the door; and that they’ve brushed their teeth and taken their meds before bedtime.
Although their cabin leader will prompt morning and nighttime routine time, your camper will independently perform their daily tasks.
The Importance of Routines: Research consistently supports the positive impact of routines on children's well-being, providing stability, reducing stress, and fostering independence. We’ve recorded a podcast episode for you, featuring Director of Camping, Jenna Johnson, and Director of Camp Communication, Stacie Simpson (both camper parents) discussing the challenge of preparing for camp routines at home, and how Camp Greenville supports and encourages these habits. Listen to the podcast here.
Camp Morning and Nighttime Routines: Routines at camp should very closely mirror routines at home - that’s the entire purpose of it being a routine. It’s important for campers to gradually take more responsibility for their daily preparations - like brushing teeth without a specific reminder, washing/brushing their own hair, etc. Cabin leaders play a crucial role in guiding campers through their routines, but their reminders will be general and campers will be responsible for their own specific self-care.
Camper Quest!
By completing 2 out of 3 Quests in February, campers earn a friendship bracelet.
With the help of an adult, write out your morning and nighttime routines, in the order each step should happen.
Place this list next to your bed or in the bathroom, and follow the list morning and night for at least 3 days.
Differences in Camp Routines: There are a few unique aspects of camp routines compared to at home. For example, campers might not apply sunscreen every morning when attending a normal school day, but will need to incorporate this step in their camp routine, since they’ll be spending much of the day outdoors. Similarly, toiletries won’t be kept on the bathroom sink for convenient use. Instead, practice carrying items to and from the bathroom.
Packing Tips and Tricks: If your camper isn’t yet picking out their own outfit each day, start practicing this level of independence, with you providing coaching and encouragement. Although we’ll discuss packing tips in more detail a bit closer to camp, you want to start thinking about a few of our top tips:
Pack each day’s outfit in a gallon size ziplock bag (or reusable packing pouch) to help your camper distinguish between clean/dirty clothes and to take the guesswork out of assembling outfits.
Pack the suitcase or trunk along with your camper, so they’ll know what’s included and where to find it.
Purchase a shower caddy or bathroom bag to practice carrying toiletries to and from the bathroom for routines.
Medications at Camp: We’ll cover medications in more detail soon, but as it relates to the morning and nighttime routines, morning medications are distributed at the dining hall during breakfast, so this will be after the rest of their morning routine is complete; and bedtime medications are given after the final activity of the day and just before they start their nighttime routine.
Pull-ups and Bedwetting: If your camper uses pull-ups at night at home, they’ll likely where them at camp too. If they do not wear pull-ups at home, but you thinking there’s a chance of bedwetting, you may want to consider pull-ups for camp, and have them practice using them at home before camp. Even if your camper hasn’t experienced a nighttime accident in awhile, we strongly encourage having a conversation about bedwetting with your camper.
At camp, we play hard all day, which means we sleep hard at night too. Campers who may not have experienced bedwetting in the recent past, may have an accident in the new environment of camp. The most important thing to know is that campers must communicate to their Cabin Leader if an accident does occur. Cabin Leaders are specifically trained to get lead the clean-up process, get new bedding and pjs, and be as discreet as possible, in addition to managing any social interactions among the cabin group that might result.
If planning to use pull-ups at camp, many campers prefer privacy in the matter. Campers should have pull-ups packed in their suitcase and practice during their nighttime routine, how to carry their pajama pile with the pull-up between layers, or place the pull-up in their bathroom bag. For the morning routine, each bathroom stall will have a trash can inside the stall or directly outside the stall but still within the bathroom for disposing of used pull-ups. Some parents prefer to order solid color zipper bags to assist with discreet disposal.
We’re here to help! If you have any questions about the topics above, please reach out to Stacie Simpson via email or by phone/text at 864-432-1085.
