We’re heading into our first full two-week session and I’m tightening our night protocols — two-deep coverage, radios on channel 3, cabin checks at 9:30 and midnight — but I’m also seeing more first-night tears than usual. How are you coaching staff to comfort homesick campers during lights-out without bending safety rules (no solo walks, meds locked, etc.), and have tweaks like day-two parent letters or a 24-hour call-back moved the needle?
First-night tears are up for us too, , so during the 9:30 check we run a two‑deep 5‑minute “quiet round”: one counselor does 4‑7‑8 breathing and a quick “tomorrow plan” at each bunk while the other logs; if a kid’s still spiraling, we hit channel 3 for the on‑call floater so no solo walks. The line that calms most is, “You don’t have to sleep; you just have to rest while I’m right here,” plus a sip from their water bottle since meds stay locked; if breathing feels too formal, swap to 5‑4‑3‑2‑1. ACA’s homesickness tips have a decent script: https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/articles/preventing-dealing-homesickness-camp.
What’s worked for us is a 90‑second “tuck token” at lights‑out: each kid gets a smooth wooden chip to fidget while we settle in, and the homesick camper keeps it on their pillow while the counselor stays in the doorway. > swap to 5‑4‑3‑2‑1 We pair that with the token, and on tougher nights I promise them the “first‑up helper” job so they’ve got something to look forward to without any extra walks.
We do a 60‑second “postcard moment” at lights‑out: both counselors stay in the doorway while the homesick kid quietly writes one line to home on a pre‑stamped camp card, then I pocket it for tomorrow’s mail and tag them for @twhite’s “first‑up helper.” If the cabin’s too stirred up, we save it for the midnight round.
with ‘two‑deep’ and channel 3; if escalating, radio a ‘buddy’ swap…