Sunshine Parenting is Camp Director Audrey “Sunshine” Monke’s parenting blog about kids, camp, the GAC philosophy, and parenting. Here are a few of the articles:
• Raising Happiness Webinar Link: This is the webinar Gold Arrow Camp sponsored by author Christine Carter, Ph.D. If you have an hour, it’s a great listen!
• Six Things Parents of Teenagers Really Need to Know: Link to Today Show video.
• Friendship: Finding Gold in a Plastic Era Hear 2010 campers talk about camp, and read Sunshine’s thoughts on developing friendships in this competitive, social media driven age.
• Get Unplugged! Research being done at Stanford about the impact of time spent online supports our electronics-free philosophy at GAC.
• Happiness Habits: Gratitude, Optimism, and Kindness We want our campers to take home more than just memories of fun. So, at camp, we focus on “happiness habits” that campers can use outside of camp.
• The Movement Against “Over-Parenting”: Thoughts on parenting styles and raising kids.
• The Power of Camp Why do parents send their kids to camp? Great information to educate parents who didn’t go to camp and don’t understand the benefits.
• Is your Child Ready for Camp? Use Bob Ditter’s “Ready, Set, Go!” questionnaire to assess.
• How Independent Do We Want Our Kids to Be? Well-intentioned parents are stifling children’s natural drive to become more independent.
• Give Teens Time Don’t get frustrated! Just give them a few more minutes to transition.
• Cell Phones and Camp No beeps, tweets, or clicking fingers. Just the sounds of friendships being built in face-to-face relationships.
• Parking the Helicopter Camp is a great opportunity to take a break from helicoptering over and around our kids.
Parenting Information & Websites:
As we come across helpful links to educate our camp families about current parenting topics, we put them here. Some of the sites may change or become outdated.
Coping with First-Time Camp Experiences
“As parents, recognizing that you and your child are growing and learning on a journey together is key to adequately preparing yourself and your child for any type of separation, including going to camp for the first time.”
“The Dark Side of Parental Devotion: How Camp Can Let the Sun Shine”
By Dr. Wendy Mogel (author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee)
Wendy Mogel’s website also has a lot of great parenting articles and advice.
Children Inside and Out
Information and reassurance for first-year camp parents by camp expert Bob Ditter.
Preparing Children for Summer Camp
“Summer camp is more than a vacation for children,” says Bruce Muchnick, Ed.D., a licensed psychologist who works extensively with day and resident camps. “As a parent, there are a few things to consider to increase the opportunity for a rewarding camp experience for your child.”
The Natural Gifts of Camp
Read about the benefits of kids being in nature at camp in an article written by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.
Camp Inspirations: Look Who Went to Camp!
Great things happen when youth and mountains meet . . . and when they meet at camp something extraordinary happens
Role Model Relationships: Making healthy human connections
By Peg L. Smith, CEO, American Camp Association
Fishful Thinking website
Great tips for parents regarding raising kids who are resilient and optimistic.
Greater Good Science Center: Christine Carter, Ph.D, is a sociologist and happiness expert at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. This blog is mostly science-based parenting advice. Carter is author of Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents.
Michael Thompson, PhD: Thompson is the author of numerous books about children, including Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children. He’s currently writing Homesick and Happy about children’s experiences away from their parents.
Healthy Teens
Written for parents of teens by Stephen Wallace, Chairman and CEO of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), the nation’s preeminent youth peer-to-peer education and prevention organization, these regular columns address issues of critical concern to youth and families, providing research-based insights into the attitudes and behaviors of today’s teens and practical advice for parents intent on keeping their children safe and alive.
“Nature Deficit Disorder”
Those of us who have spent our summers at Gold Arrow know the value of being in nature. Read this article from the San Francisco Chronicle which reinforces the need for our kids to spend time away from electronics and in nature.
Unhealthy Competition
“Young kids are training like professionals, and have the injuries to prove it.” This article is an excerpt from a new book that just hit the stands titled “Revolution in the Bleachers: How Parents Can Take Back Family Life in a World Gone Crazy Over Youth Sports” by Regan McMahon.
Pediatrician, Dr. William Sears, and his sons, Drs. Jim “Bones” and Bob “Hawkeye” Sears (GAC Camp Doctors) offer health advice on many topics at their website, “Ask Dr. Sears.”
“The Digital Lives of Kids: What Parents Need to Know,” by Dr. Wendy Mogel
“Everyone loves to scare parents about the dangers of the Internet. It’s juicy newspaper copy. But as with so many aspects of parenting, there is no clear-cut way to navigate the hazards. If we say yes to everything, we risk putting our children in harm’s way. If we say no, we risk depriving them.”
Movie Reviews for Parents:
Parents Television Council Movie Reviews
Updated December 8, 2011