It’s here. Today was filled with laughter and with tears.  With hugs and with Sharpies. We wanted the Summer of 2010 to last forever.

But eventually the numbers  2- 0- 1- 0 “burned down.” We sealed the summer’s memories and achievements arm-in-arm as we sang “Coleman  Country” for the last time together in 2010, and we reluctantly went off to our buses when we heard the last refrains of “Happy Trails.”

I have three words of advice: rejoice, validate, and listen!

Rejoice in the reality that your child has grown physically, emotionally, and socially this summer, and that you made it happen by choosing Coleman Country. You gave your child an edge – and a fabulous summer!

Validate the feelings of sadness that camp is over for a while.  Be open and available to talk about camp. Share your own feelings and observations about your camper’s accomplishments. Normalize the sense of loss.

And listen, listen, listen: keep the pace slow for a few days, linger over family dinners, ask lots of questions – What was your favorite moment at camp? What will you miss most about camp? Talk about their friends… even their challenges and especially their triumphs. (By the way, we’d love for you to share some of these conversations with us, either at the bottom of this post or at Blog@ColemanCountry.com).

Next summer isn’t far away!

Until we meet again…

Happy Trails!
Marla

Did you happen to see the story yesterday in the New York Times, Red vs. White?  Very timely as we enter the first day of Olympics, our version of Color War (we’d rather pattern these spirited days on a festival than a conflict).

Whatever you call it, it is a blitz of competition that is so steeped in tradition that even the reporter “got it.” And, like all other aspects of camp, it has a purpose: to lock in the summer’s memories with rituals that tether us to the community we love – and keep us connected “until we meet again” next summer. It is as though there is an invisible tapestry keeping us linked.

That’s why this week counselors will be helping their campers say goodbye in many subtle but important ways.  It starts with Olympics (tomorrow, campers will get their Red or Tan bandana which they are encouraged to wear- along with team colors – through Thursday when the Games conclude), and it continues with group projects that include such things as designating a certain tree that is theirs with a ceremony, harvesting the vegetables from the “Stand Up” Garden, putting the finishing touches on “Rock Town,” or visiting their “group rock” in the Friendship Garden.

Certificates of achievement, group photos, and bandanas are among the tangible items that help consecrate the summer of 2010. I encourage you to label (and maybe even decorate) a memory box to hold the precious mementos, which might even include a Rodeo giveaway or a craft project (is there one that you “love” but just cannot quite find a suitable “home” for?!) Think of it as a personal time capsule!

Transitions are always a challenge and even more difficult when a community is about to disband, even though it is temporary.  And with transitions come anxieties. Adults and children alike are getting ready to separate from friends, from established routines, and from what has come to feel like a safe environment, because there are no overlaying pressures such as a test for the child or a carpool schedule for the adult.

There is a saying among camp people that is mentioned in the Times article: 10-4-2. You live 10 months for the 2 months of camp.

Don’t be afraid to share your own thoughts of sadness that the summer is drawing to a close; that conversation not only affirms your children’s own feelings but helps them realize that they are experiencing a normal passage. Neglecting this mood compels children to find their own ways to manage their sense of loss.

We’re on the lookout for opportunities for closure here on The Ranch; I urge you to do the same at home: reminisce, reflect, laugh, and find ways to tie a metaphorical ribbon around this summer. It’s the glue that binds us.

Happy Trails!
Marla

The flags are missing from atop the Dream Dome.  The kids are all excited because they know what that means: the next time the red and tan flags appear, Olympics will have “broken.” And they know what THAT means: more fun and spirit than you can imagine. And what THAT means: in about a week, the flags will be red and tan combined, signifying that we are reunited as one community. And then the bittersweet reality: the end of a glorious summer.

There’s something to be said for rituals. The predictability and familiarity are comforting and empowering for children (and for adults, too!).  And we are very deliberate about the structure of these last days of camp, because we know our job includes helping our campers transition from camp to school.

As I know you know, nothing happens by chance around here! We are very intentional, and everything we do has a goal behind it.

So today, we let our hair down; it’s the stuff that camp is made of. Not only was it “Filthy Friday,” i.e., get as dirty as you can, but Colemania  (it was today!) took center stage with its tons of uncongealed JELL-O.  Yes, it was intentionally very messy around here today! We splattered in JELL-O, ran the “Slopstacle Course,” and swam in spaghetti. Now, if that doesn’t get us ready for school, what does?!

The yin and yang of growing up. The sticking point is the transition between them.

Summer is drawing to a close.  Soon, we’ll be embracing still more traditions and rituals – the ones that signal our temporary good-byes. Please come back to “Happy Trails” next week because I’d like to share some tips on how you can help your child (and yourself!) make the adjustment from camp to school. I can tell you that for children, there is a sense of impending loss of connection from routines, friends, and activities (and I would predict it is the same for you!).

In the meantime, have a great weekend and label the growth you’ve seen in your camper with specific words. You might want to think of a family project to get a jump start on marking the reconnection of your own family unit – perhaps with a project, a game night, or a family outing.

This activity would ideally seal the memories that each of you takes with you forever from the Summer of 2010.

Until next week…

Happy Trails!
Marla

Howdy Kinfolk,

This could be a touchy subject, but I feel that after six great weeks together, I can say it – trust us wholly, and relax that for eight precious weeks you do not need to keep your child tethered to you with a cell phone.  While we are very firm that there are no cell phones (or texting from camp), occasionally an older camper will have one in a backpack as a crutch to call Mom or Dad when something doesn’t go exactly his or her way.

It’s a trap, parents! Not only do you not need to rescue your camper, you shouldn’t! And you definitely should not tell your camper to bring it “just in case.…”  (Every bus has a cell phone for emergencies and once at camp, we are all connected by land lines.) The unspoken message there is that she can’t be safe unless a parent is there to solve the problem. (Are you planning to be her roommate in college?! Or move in when he gets married?!)

One of the greatest things camp does for kids, besides giving them the time of their lives, is the opportunity to learn to navigate on their own – recognizing that they can depend on themselves to fix a problem they are encountering at the moment; to use their own voice, to “Stand Up”.

What better place to practice growing up than here on The Ranch – where it’s virtually impossible to make a bad choice, where counselors are trained to coach and support their campers, where an emotionally and physically safe community has been created?

I urge you: don’t miss this window of opportunity. Where else can a child truly get away from it all and learn to stand on his own feet – and build a stronger brain of her own? Did you know that kids spending more than 6 hours daily in some sort of solitary media environment during the school year? Enter camp, a totally unplugged environment.

A recent article, “Can You Hear Me Now? Not if You’re at Summer Camp,” quotes a mom saying that she would pay extra for a tech-restricted camp experience! She explains that the first time she took her son to camp (a camp where parents drove their campers), he was on his iPod Touch the entire car ride, but the second time they made the drive, he didn’t even bring it in the car.

It’s really interesting, but just the other day I realized how nice that feeling is. Throughout the summer, I tell my friends not to call me on my cell phone because I never use it, even when I am in the office; and I never gave that comment much thought until now. It has dawned on me that I, too, unplug during camp – and it is freeing!

Eight prized weeks.  No electronic umbilical cord! Rejoice, and let go.

Everyone knows you don’t need – or even want – a phone in Coleman Country.

Happy Trails!
Marla

I was planning to blog about something different, but when I was out on The Ranch this morning during bus arrival, I was moved by a singular sight: children holding hands. (Take a look at Marla’s Pic[k]s today, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.)

Where else do 11-year-old girls walk together holding hands?! Or male counselors feel comfortable and connected enough to dress up and dance to “Copacabana”?!  Singing takes the place of texting, and cheering is what you do to encourage someone rather than laughing at him. Four-year-olds understand the meaning of the word “respect.”  Where else do shy children take center stage and “Jump In” holding a microphone?

It’s because we’re truly one big family, a connected community; we share a culture of compassion on The Ranch.

Where else do children get to practice “habits of the heart?” They did it yesterday with gusto when they swam their hearts out to send underprivileged children to camp. Whether they could swim or not, they racked up the laps with whatever aid was needed – their own power or a barbell or a swim instructor.  At the end of the day, earning 10 cents a lap which the Coleman family pledged on their behalf, they had amassed $2,000 (yes, we rounded it up!) for Morry’s Camp.

Also, yesterday, we were joined by two counselors from South Africa. Mbali and Mdu will be here for the remainder of the summer, sharing their spirit.  (Ross, Pam, and Tony met them last year when they volunteered at their camp.) Today, the pair started making their way around divisions introducing themselves with the now famous “Jump In” song that originated at Camp Sizanani in Soweto. The Pioneers were delighted when they recognized the song they have been singing all summer!

Speaking of spirit, it was off the charts today – and on top of the tables – in the Chow Hall when Mbali and Mdu taught Pardners some chants like G-R-O-O-V-Y, and they taught them “Shake your booty.”  As G3-3 Counselor Erika put it, “We show them the Coleman Way and they show us their way.”

We’re literally and figuratively holding hands around the world, opening our hearts, sharing our good fortune. And showing each other love.

Now that’s what I call the power of fun!