Grit is defined by Oxford Learner’s Dictionary as “the courage and strength of mind that makes it possible for somebody to continue doing something difficult.” Most parents desire for their children to be prepared for the challenges they will face in their future, to overcome fears and to have grit. But how do parents teach children this invaluable life-skill?
Audrey Monke, a camp director, author and host of the Sunshine Parenting podcast, shares the importance of fostering grit in children. She deems summer camp as an ideal place to teach children to be resilient and overcome difficulties socially, physically and emotionally. Audrey shares five ways summer camp can grow grit, and we agree, summer camp teaches camper’s grit in a way not many other experiences can.
1 Learning self-reliance grows grit. Campers learn to do more things for themselves when Mom or Dad aren’t around to clean up, make decisions, solve problems, intervene with social challenges, and remind kids about appropriate outerwear for a cold evening.
Counselors provide age appropriate guidance for campers, but a counselor’s support for their camper is different than that of a parent. While a parent may get their child’s coat for them, a counselor gives a friendly reminder before leaving the cabin; “Alright girls, make sure your bunk mate has their rain jacket and water bottle!” Campers gain independence, learn personal responsibility by keeping track of their belongings and foster peer accountability through cabin living.
2 Experiencing mistakes and failures grows grit. It’s just really hard to stand there and watch our children crash and burn when we know the easy fix, usually involving our intervention. Unfortunately, by not allowing our kids to feel the pain of the forgotten assignment or the sting of the lackluster science board, we deprive them the chance to LEARN from their mistakes and NOT MAKE THEM AGAIN. Instead, they learn about “parental rescue,” which is not something we want our children to take with them into adulthood. At camp, kids make mistakes all the time and are actually encouraged to fail (which is viewed as nothing more than a first attempt in learning anyway). A camper forgets his water bottle? He walks back to the cabin with a buddy to get it.
At Highlander, we provide a safe place for campers to take risks, try new things and fail. With the love and support of their counselors, cabin mates and peers, campers feel a sense of security that allows them to step out of their comfort zone knowing if they fail, their identity as a valued and loved member of the camp family does not change. With every failure that our campers experience and overcome, they build resilience.
3 Talking about, setting, and reaching goals grows grit. Counselors encourage campers to talk about what they want to learn at camp, new skills they want to acquire, and specific goals they have for the camp session. These goals become a guidepost and motivation for campers as they move through camp, and whether they reach or almost-reach a goal, they grow through challenging themselves to try.
Setting goals is a wonderful part of the camp experience. Our counselors encourage campers to finish this sentence, “Before I leave camp I…” While campers are here, we want them to live each day with purpose. From getting the courage to go off the blob to sleeping under the stars, campers are encouraged to set a goal that will help them feel accomplished and will build confidence. Throughout a session, campers are naturally challenged by camp life and are often encouraged to get out of their comfort zone. During cabin talks on opening night, campers share their goals and our counselors commit to supporting them to reach them before they leave camp!
4 Facing new challenges grows grit. Campers are faced with many new, unfamiliar things at camp: a new place to sleep, new people, new activities, new foods, and a new view, to name a few…And every new experience, whether easy or difficult, grows the confidence kids have in themselves about approaching OTHER new experiences. And that grows their grit.
We believe that the summer camp experience is unlike any other a parent can give a child. The life-skills gained from a few weeks away from home are life-changing. While living in a cabin with nine of their peers, traversing a mountain each day, learning to compromise while doing things that they may not love and meeting new friends from all over the country, your child’s eyes will be opened to their true potential. They learn about independent thinking, intrinsic motivation and perseverance.
5 Feeling emotional and physical discomfort grows grit. I don’t know of any other setting where kids can be coached through a difficult time and emerge invigorated, proud, and wanting to do it again.
While health and safety are never compromised, Camp Highlander provides a place where campers comfort is challenged by living in open air cabins, playing outside all day long and being away from home for an extended period of time, possibly for the first time. Campers learn to resolve conflict with their peers face-to-face, build new friendships without the distraction of technology and to be flexible on a rainy camp day.
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