There are plenty of reasons I was immediately against it--the logistics of it, the potential for parents to get overly involved in camp, the fact that camp promotes re-connecting with nature and that can be easier to do with limited technology, the fact that phones can get lost or broken... the list could go on and on. There are a lot of really good reasons to leave your phone at home when you head to camp. But then it struck me--THE reason I am so adamantly against camps letting their campers bring cell phones/tweet/etc.
In my opinion, THE reason to keep campers separated from their technology for a camp session is the culture of camp. Part of what makes camp what it is, is that camp is literally "its own little world". Camp has its own traditions, its own slang, its own culture, a different pace of life, and I think that is appealing. When you are at camp you are only with those people. You have limited distractions to keep you from fully enjoying the moment. There is a magic to camp, that is in part its separation from the rest of the world.
Some campers are experiencing their first time away from their parents--the first time they get to make their own choices. How empowering for them to know that they can choose what activity to go to, and can be responsible to get themselves there. For that camper who is SO homesick at the beginning of the week, but their counselor works through it with them, and at the closing campfire, they are sobbing because they don't want to go home--give them their cell phone, and they are going to be working through it with mom or dad instead of their counselor, and they'll miss out on the triumph of knowing they made it on their own for the first time. Separation from parents for a week, two or three, can give campers the chance to discover more about who they are, and what they are interested in, without pressure to try mom's favorite activity or be the best at dad's favorite sport.
Now--I definitely think camps should embrace social media and technology. Post some pictures for parents to see what is going on, use twitter, facebook and blogs to share what might be happening at camp. Do whatever works for your camp as far as social media--but keep that separation for the campers. Let your full-time staff handle the communication and help parents feel comfortable with the fact that they aren't able to just send their kids a text. Camps have to change with the times just like everyone else, but for 150 years summer camp has been about reconnecting with nature and disconnecting with the outside world. Should we change one of the core aspects of camp just for the sake of convenience?
If you are running a good camp, your campers are already marketing for you through social media. The minute they get home, they are posting their camp pictures on facebook, setting their status as "I miss camp", joining groups and fan pages about your camp, and if you are doing a really good job, whatever social media tools they use will reflect their love of camp all year long. I think the fact that they are talking about camp six months after the fact is more valuable than in the moment. There is a "I can't even really describe it to you, its something that you have to experience for yourself" feel to the stories and pictures they share throughout the year, and that is powerful.
Technology is great, and I love social media, but in the case of camp, part of its allure for campers is the separation from the rest of the world during those summer sessions. Give them their cell phones, and I think you are decreasing the value of the camping experience.
*This article from the Boston Globe gives an insight to what campers are saying about the lack of technology at camp http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/family/articles/2009/08/01/unplugged_at_summer_camp/?page=2
Hrm. One thing that I caught from the Boston Globe article is that the ACA found that "more than 70 percent of overnight camps ban or severely restrict children’s use of personal technology." That means that some 30% or so ARE allowing it. I haven't heard of any such camps. I wonder why they don't have a ban and what their experience is like of allowing it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if some of that 30% are specialty camps--sports camps, computer camps, college-prep, that type of thing. Many of those camps are overnight, but are very different from what we think of as "camp".
ReplyDeleteI think that the immersive atmosphere of camp is what makes it magical.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a camp director we would do everything in our power to make sure that the child was focused on what was happening onsite. That included having a child's counsellor check in with his/her parents instead of the camper. Obviously we would never stop a parent talking to their child but we always knew that that contact would make the child miss home even if s/he wasn't before the call.
On many occasions I have said to parents "we will go get your camper to talk to you but you need to accept that this will mean that you will be coming to pick them up tonight".
I think this is the same problem with mobile phones - kids don't disconnect enough from homelife enough to fully understand the real magic of camp. How could they when they are reminded by every text message of what they are missing at home?
I've met camp directors who are out in the middle of nowhere, and there is no cell phone reception to begin with. They allow cell phones so they don't seem like the "bad guy."
ReplyDeleteI've also heard of 8-week camps that allow phones and no chargers. Those kids can use their phone throughout the summer and when it's dead, it's dead.
I'm in favor of no phones for all the reasons mentioned above. Very well thought out. Returning campers "get it" as well and embrace the disconnect from technology. The struggle will always be how to put in words to a new camper, or more so, a new camper's parent, that it is the right thing.