We all have our own ways of measuring success. For some of our campers, it’s learning a new skill, getting up on water skis for the first time, or starting an art project and seeing it to its completion.
Our intercamp sports schedule is in full-swing. Yesterday, our boys participated in lacrosse and baseball tournaments. Today, they participated in a soccer tournament and an invitational swim meet. There are plenty of opportunities for boys to get involved and have their own measure of success. For me, I had my own moment of success when I saw a beaming smile on a little boy who has struggled to gain traction in camp. I have had many conversations with this boy over the last week and a half.
Candidly, I have done most of the talking, because it has been difficult for this boy to articulate his feelings. He didn’t need to speak much because I could read his body language, and I knew he was struggling to make connections in camp. When young children go away to sleep-away camp, their minds are consumed first with the separation from home, followed by acclimating to a new environment, then getting used to a new daily routine.
Their first connections are usually with adults. Instinctively, they know they need to trust their counselors because they rely on adult compassion and supervision. For some children, it takes a while to make peer connections because they are too preoccupied with the home-to-camp transition, rather than creating new friendships.
In this particular case, this child trusted me. He listened to my words. No matter how sad he might have been at a given moment, he believed in his ability to find happiness at camp. Thanks to an amazing staff, spirited competition, and beautiful weather, this camper has relaxed, settled in and allowed his true effervescent personality to shine. Watching Camp Takajo campers develop self-reliance and self-confidence is the way I measure success.
