Camp Kirk was our 12 year old son’s first experience at an overnight camp.
It was a big step for him, being in a place where he knew absolutely no one. As a kid with anxieties, social difficulties and learning disorders, he has never made many friends, and so summers are lonely for him.
We hoped that the ratio of councilor support at Camp Kirk would give him more confidence and self esteem, and hopefully social connections.
It was a big step for him, being in a place where he knew absolutely no one. As a kid with anxieties, social difficulties and learning disorders, he has never made many friends, and so summers are lonely for him.
We hoped that the ratio of councilor support at Camp Kirk would give him more confidence and self esteem, and hopefully social connections.
The first three days were rough, we received emails each night from him expressing how he wanted to come home. We thought we were going to have to drive back for him. By day four, we stopped getting messages from him.
At first we were concerned that he was upset that we’d “abandoned” him and now were getting the silent treatment, but thankfully Erika was in constant email contact with us reassuring us of his adjustment and progress. And what progress!
Our son, who once had to be carried out of a canoe at another day camp because his anxieties took over, actually went on an all-day canoe trip!
Our son who claims to have a fear of heights actually attempted the climbing wall!
He even expanded his food repertoire and tried steak at dinner…something he has not eaten at home for 10 years!
Yet it wasn’t until we brought him home after camp that we realized the full impact that Camp Kirk had on him. He was quiet during the 2 hour drive home.
When we got home he mostly stayed in his room moping.
When I finally sat down with him to ask if something was bothering him, he said, in a rather choked up voice,
“I miss Camp Kirk. I felt like I belonged there”.
It broke my heart! I think for the first time he realized the companionship and fun he had been missing in all the other activities we had ever enrolled him in.
We have promised to try to send him next summer, and all he wants is to stay longer than before!
When we got home he mostly stayed in his room moping.
When I finally sat down with him to ask if something was bothering him, he said, in a rather choked up voice,
“I miss Camp Kirk. I felt like I belonged there”.
It broke my heart! I think for the first time he realized the companionship and fun he had been missing in all the other activities we had ever enrolled him in.
We have promised to try to send him next summer, and all he wants is to stay longer than before!
I asked him what he thought I should write about camp and he said “It’s a really great place and more people should go there!”
The Noseworthys