Dear Camp Mom…

Hi there, Bauercrest parents! It’s me, Stacy… a.k.a. Camp Mom. If you’re wondering what that means, it’s more or less (exactly) what it sounds like. I spend my summers at Bauercrest making sure everyone has what they need… from sunscreen to stationery to someone to talk to. I took this position after both of my boys started as campers. In other words, before I was the mom with all the answers, I was the mom with all the questions. LOTS of questions!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out whenever you have questions about anything at all! Just email me at stacy@bauercrest.org. Every month, I’ll choose a few and feature them in our “Dear Camp Mom” column. We’ll keep it anonymous, but the truth is, whether you’re really worried about something or just casually wondering about it, chances are you’re in very good company. Don’t believe me? See if these sound familiar!

Q: My son loves sports, but he’s not ultra-competitive. Will he be ok at Bauercrest?
A: We have campers of all different athletic abilities, and there’s a place for each and every one of them in our program. Some of our boys have the opportunity to hone and showcase their skills all year long; others don’t. You don’t have to be a great athlete to come to Bauercrest. You just have to like sports. One of the first lessons our campers learn is that they won’t always win, but they’ll always have an opportunity to play and be a part of a team. You’d be surprised to learn how many Color War events have been won at the hands of campers who would have gotten cut from their town teams… if they’d had the confidence to try out in the first place. That’s the magic of this place. Legends are born at Bauercrest every summer, and I assure you, a great kid doesn’t need a great hoop shot to be one of them.

Q: My son is a picky eater. Like, really picky. What if he just won’t eat?
A: Your son will eat because he will be hungry, and because he will be sitting with his friends in front of family-style platters of food three times a day. We always offer alternatives, so even the pickiest eater will eat at every meal. He’ll be at a table with the same waiter and counselors every day. No one will force him to eat something he doesn’t like, but they will make sure he eats something. And the food is really good! In fact, according to our surveys, it’s one of the things our boys love most about camp (yes, even the picky ones). Picky eaters typically don’t stay picky forever, and camp is often where that turnaround starts to happen. But if a picky eater is what you’ve got right now, we’re not worried, and you shouldn’t be, either.

Q: How do you handle disagreements between the boys?
A: Camp Bauercrest is filled with some of the nicest boys (and men) I have ever met. Truly. That said, not everyone will be nice all the time. Living in a bunk with 10 boys can be messy… literally and figuratively. That’s why there’s no better, safer place to learn to compromise, negotiate, and figure out what matters and what doesn’t. It’s why there are no friends like camp friends… and the brotherhood at Bauercrest takes that to a whole new level. Just like with any brothers, there are bound to be disagreements, but our staff are well-versed in when to let the kids work it out on their own and when to intervene. Then when they’re out in the world, they’ll be well-equipped to navigate these situations on their own.