Evening star., 1935-04-22
Fan1ilyGain
Is Provided
ByCanping
Vacation Is Assured
for Family and for
Children.
BY ANGELO PATRI,

THERE are two good things that
L come to the family when the
children 60 to camp. The children
get a vacation from the family and
the family have a rest from the chill
dren. Both rests are needed and
beneficial in the extreme. Mothers
and fathers need a relief from the
strain Of rearing and training chill
dren quite as much as the children
need a break in their routine. That
is why one sends the children of to
camp with q clear conscience. The
children need the change and the
change does the home-staying group
. world of good.
The kind of camp that is chosen
makes all the difference in the sue
cess Of the venture. 1t seems to me
most unwise to send children to q
camp one has not seen. Pictures tell
the truth, but there is so much truth
that they do not disclose that to take
them on their face value is to make
o mistake. The roof of the pretty
cabin may leak. There may be no
screen on the porch that looks so in
viting. The food may not be cooked
as it ought to be. Listing fresh vege-
tables on the menu and cooking them
are two quite different things.
And the people in charge. Sitting
in your living room inviting you to
trust them with your children gives
them 4 certain air and manner that
Is not the air nor the manner Of the
camp. Camp atmosphere changes all
that and one ought to know what the
change implies. The camp director
may be fine, but who are the coun-
sellors? What training have they
had and how are they paid? Coun-
sellors that work for nothing but
board and transportation cannot be
expected to do much constructively
for the training of other folks chill
dren. These are points to be con-
sidered by parents sending their chill
dren to another home, the camp, for
the Summer.
After selecting the camp. visiting 1t
and placing your child there be a
good camp father and mother and
obey the rules. If you have selected
the camp wisely, investigate its sani-
tary provisions, its staff, menu, pro-
gram, personnel, including doctor and
nurse, leave the children to the direc-
tor. Don't send any food, any gifts,
any candy. The child has food,
equipment and the full facilities of
the camp. Extra food will undo the
health program. Gifts are in the
way. There is neither time nor place
for extras. Don't send kilograms
asking for immediate reports on
health and general welfare of your
child. Don't pounce on the camp
unexpectedly. When you go there be-
have as a well-bred guest behaves.
Don't embarrass your child in any
way.
Few children are homesick. The
few usually come around in a day or
so. Only the unusual child frets
after home and family once he has
made acquaintance with his mates.
Ignore homesick pleas unless the di-
rector tells you that they must be
noticed. II you have selected wisely
you can leave all this to him.
A stay in camp is healthy for any
child. It Is one Of the best ways that
can be found to wean children from
overmotherly care, oversuperivision
and direction. Many troublesome chill
dren need weaving from home and
family, and this is the way to accom-
plish 1t painlessly. A camper really
has to be self-sufficient or cease to be
q camper. And who ever heard of that?
Camping is childhood's idea Of happi-
ness on earth. II possible, let the chill
dren 60. only be careful where and to
whom they go.
Copyright. 1881