Before you continue reading, take a moment to close your eyes and reflect on your most joyous childhood experience. What comes to mind? What activities were you engaged in, and who accompanied you?
If your experience is similar to mine, you may find that the happiest memories involve friends rather than family. Michael Thompson, PhD, author of Homesick and Happy: How Time Away From Parents Can Help a Child Grow, reveals that when he conducts this exercise with parent groups, only about 20 percent recall memorable family vacations or holiday mornings. The overwhelming majority—around 80 percent—remember experiences with peers, filled with exploration and adventure, away from parental supervision.
This notion has been on my mind as my 9-year-old daughter, Lily, prepares for her first sleepaway camp session. Like her, I attended camp after fourth grade, and those weeks were filled with cherished memories—inside jokes, engaging counselors, exciting canoe trips, s’mores, and endless crafting activities. While I’m thrilled for Lily, I can’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety. What if she finds the experience overwhelming? Or conversely, what if she enjoys it so much that she doesn’t want to leave?
My mother once mentioned that my time at sleepaway camp was her initial realization that parenting wouldn’t always involve constant attention. At the time, I didn’t grasp her meaning, but I do now. Lily has evolved from a dependent infant into a capable child ready to spend two weeks away from home (with appropriate adult supervision, of course). It was Lily who expressed interest in attending camp this year, likely influenced by my own fond memories of the experience.
This is what I hoped for, right? For my child to cultivate independence and take those crucial steps toward adulthood. Thompson compellingly argues that time spent away from home and family allows children to discover their inner strength and develop essential life skills through challenging experiences. He emphasizes that granting our children space—despite our protective instincts—is a valuable gift. As he notes, “We cannot keep our children perfectly safe, but we can drive them crazy trying.”
There’s a chance that Lily may arrive at camp feeling homesick and wanting to return home after just a few days. I’ve prepared myself for that possibility. However, I must also be ready for the likelihood that she will love it so much that she may be upset when it’s time for us to pick her up.
While I’ll be filled with worry during those July days, anxiously awaiting updates, it’s possible that Lily will be fully immersed in her new environment, perhaps not thinking about me at all. And that’s completely acceptable. I hope those two weeks provide her with excitement and a sense of freedom, even if I experience mixed emotions in the process.
For those exploring similar journeys, additional insights can be found in our other blog posts, such as this one on home insemination. If you’re interested in learning more about the science behind conception, this Wikipedia article on in vitro fertilisation is an excellent resource. Furthermore, if you’re looking for reliable products, you can check out this authority on home insemination supplies.
In summary, encouraging children to experience time away from parental figures fosters their growth and independence. While it can be challenging for parents, it ultimately serves as a vital step in a child’s development.