Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Raise confident and capable kids who become thriving adults with nine proven summer camp secrets from a camp owner and mother-of-five with a masters in psychology.Many of us live in suburban neighborhoods with nice yards, but without children in them often enough. We're out to dinner and notice a silent family, faces tilted toward their individual screens. Or maybe that family is us.
In a social media culture, more than ever, the tried and true benefits of summer camp are being lauded for the value they've always held. Camp encourages real connection, grit, self-reflection, optimism, and self-confidence, and it does so without dependence upon technology. By implementing the proven principles of camp in our own homes, we can provide our kids with the tools they need to develop into thriving adults.
Summer camp is attended by more than 12 million kids every year and research in positive psychology has proven that kids are just plain happier at camp. Happy Campers explores the reasons why, and offers parents nine secrets of summer camp that they can use to reap the benefits of camp for their children at home. Extra resources are included at the end of each chapter, such as questions for connection, family meeting topics, and activities to help families implement each summer camp strategy at home.
Chapters include:
- Connection Comes First
- Positive Practices Produce Optimistic Kids
- Grit is Grown Outside the Comfort Zone, and
- Coach Kids to Better Friendships
Synopsis
Audrey "Sunshine" Monke, mother of five and camp owner-director, shares nine powerful parenting techniques-inspired by the research-based practices of summer camp-to help kids thrive and families become closer. Research has proven that kids are happier and gain essential social and emotional skills at camp. A recognized parenting expert, Audrey Monke distills what she's learned from thousands of interactions with campers, camp counselors, and parents, and from her research in positive psychology, to offer intentional strategies parents can use to foster the benefits of camp at home.
Our screen-obsessed, competitive society makes it harder than ever to raise happy, thriving kids. But there are tried-and-true methods that can help. Instead of rearing a generation of children who are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and who struggle to become independent, responsible adults, parents can create a culture that promotes the growth of important character traits and the social skills kids need for meaningful, successful lives.
Thousands of parents attest to the "magical" benefits of summer camp for their kids, noting their children return more joyful, positive, confident, and resilient after just a few weeks. But you can learn exactly what it takes to promote these benefits at home. Complete with specific ideas to implement the most effective summer camp secrets, Happy Campers is a one of a kind resource for raising happy, socially intelligent, successful kids.