When your little one comes home from summer camp unhappy, and you find out that they are being bullied, it can turn your stomach. Camp is supposed to be something fun for everyone and a break from the usual problems kids can experience at school. Unfortunately, bullying is one problem that can follow your kids to camp. You can, however, take steps to handle the problem.
Here’s how to handle bullying at summer camp:
What Does Bullying at Summer Camp Look Like?
Bullying isn’t always as overt as we see in movies. It can be subtle, like exclusion or whispering behind someone’s back, or more aggressive, like name-calling or physical intimidation. At day camps, bullying usually takes the form of teasing or name-calling during group activities. At overnight summer camps, tensions can spill over into shared sleeping spaces, where kids have less supervision.
Knowing if your child is feeling bullied can be tricky, especially since many kids hesitate to speak up. Watch for subtle changes in their behavior, like suddenly dreading camp, unexplained physical ailments (like stomachaches or headaches), or becoming unusually quiet or irritable. They might also have trouble sleeping, lose interest in activities they usually enjoy or show reluctance to interact with certain peers.
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How to Prevent Bullying Before Camp
There are a few things you can to do deal with bullying at summer camp… before camp even starts. Keep reading for our top tips.
- Create Open Lines of Communication: Kids need to feel safe sharing their feelings. At day camps, this could mean having a trusted counselor check in regularly with each child. At overnight camps, it might involve an anonymous suggestion box or designated “talk times” with staff. Encouraging open communication is one of the most effective ways to learn about and handle bullying at summer camp before it escalates.
- Set the Tone Early: Preventing bullying starts before camp even begins. Camps should clearly outline their anti-bullying policies during orientation. For overnight camps, this might include discussing respect and cooperation as part of cabin life. At day camps, emphasize teamwork and inclusivity in group activities.
- Address Issues Immediately: When bullying is reported or observed, swift action is vital. For day camps, this might involve separating the kids involved and speaking with their parents at pick-up time. At overnight camps, it’s essential to address the issue in real time, whether that means mediating a conversation or rearranging bunk assignments.
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Give Your Kid Strategies To Diffuse Situations
The first line of defense for your kid against bullying can be one of any number of effective strategies to diffuse situations. Learning to handle bullies is an important part of growing up, and this is the perfect time to learn some new skills. Here are several strategies to have your child try:
- Walk Away: Most bullies just want attention and are willing to do negative things to get it. If you deny them the attention, the bullying isn’t likely to continue. When the bully starts a problem, just walk away from the situation.
- Limit the Reaction: Similarly, you can limit the reaction to the bully instead of walking away. If you deny a bully the triggered reaction that they are looking for, then that bully will likely just move on.
- Challenge Without Violence: Some bullies do what they do because their targets don’t fight back. If you are the target, fight back with words instead of violence. A few clever comebacks to show that you are not going to back down. It may just be enough to show that bully that you are not a target anymore.
- Notify the Camp Counselors: The next step in resolving the problem is notifying the camp authorities. It is highly likely that the counselors and managers at the camp are unaware of the bullying that is going on. Otherwise, they would have taken action to stop it. With a few specific pieces of information, you can have the authorities help you put a stop to camp bullying.
- Separate: If all else fails, take steps to separate your kids from bullies. How this works depends on the structure of the camp. For example, many summer camps operate in small groups. If the bully is in the same group as your child, see if you can have your child reassigned to a different group. Your camp counselor is the best resource for that.
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A Solution is Always Available
Limit the chances of bullying at camp by choosing a high-quality camp to begin with. For this, you should check out the DFW Camp Expo, where we help parents just like you find the right summer camp for their kids.
This will happen on back-to-back Saturdays in February. Parents can discover the many camps available in the DFW region, meet organization leaders, snag some freebies, find out about event deals, and plan the best spring and summer ever for their kids!
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