If your child is feeling overwhelmed by stressors in their academic or athletic lives, consider overnight summer camp as a way for your child to reset, reevaluate, and take a break from the grind! Overnight camp can be the break your child needs from elite sports and academics.
Sports team evaluations, college applications, elite camps, high academic opportunities, recruiting showcases… the list goes on. And it seems like these things are affecting students and athletes earlier and earlier. While I love that this generation of youth is dedicated and high-achieving, I wonder about the potential consequences.
What if a couple weeks away from the stresses of elite sports and academics is exactly what your child needs. What if some time at overnight camp – away from comparisons from social media, feedback from coaches, textbooks, extra training opportunities – might actually raise the performance of your high-achiever?
Kids need a Break!
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is recommended that children need a 2-3 month break from a specific sport per year. In our world of weekend tournaments, two-a-days, and year-round sport, it is easy to forget that kids need free play. While being part of a team has its benefits, it’s also important for them to just go outside and play and take a break from elite sports. Children need time to be creative on their own without an adult hovering over them.
Campers Can Truly Let Go
Traditional overnight summer camps, like Camp Jeanne d’Arc, provide a chance for your child to step away from it all! Nestled in the mountains of the Adirondacks and completely technology-free, campers at CJDA can truly let go. They spend time learning new skills, connecting with friends, and having fun!
Here are some perks of Camp Jeanne d’Arc for high-achievers:
No comparing with what others are doing. Many young people (and adults!) can get caught up in what others are doing to get better at a sport, or add to their resume, or position themselves more favorably. And they can get bogged down by the idea that “If they are doing it, shouldn’t I?” Not at camp! At Camp Jeanne d’Arc campers are pulled out of the societal pressures completely, even if for just a few weeks!
No technology. Camp Jeanne d’Arc is a screen-free experience – campers do not have access to social media, internet, or cell phones! They won’t see pics of a teammate at an elite camp or a classmate on a service trip. They won’t scroll social media videos on skills they should be working on or a training they should be following. At Camp, campers are spending their time with others! They are outside in nature, engaging in outdoor activities, exploring the arts, getting active, and enjoying the community of girls.
Simple joys. Some of the most memorable nights at Camp are the nights where the skies are clear, the weather is mild, and the stars are shining. Campers bring a blanket outside and lay down, gazing at the night sky. The giggles can be heard across campus! And as it quiets down, the girls’ hearts are content in the simple joy. Enjoying this peace and sense of community is a restorative experience!
Learning new skills. But it’s not all star-gazing and lounging around! High-achieving kids can be given the chance to learn different skills (I know, sometimes you simply cannot take the drive out of the kid!) Stepping away from their number one sport or activity can be very helpful for girls. It can give them a more well-rounded image of themselves and that they can always do something different if they wanted to!
Unstructured creative time. High-achieving young people are often over-scheduled. They bounce from school to extra-curriculars to sports to service projects. Overnight summer camp can provide a great time to have fun and build soft skills and creativity through unstructured time. These communication and conflict management skills are incredibly valuable for all kids!
Can A Break from Academics or Sports Can Actually Help?
It seems pretty clear how young people can benefit from a break from elite academic or athletic experiences. But can taking a break from elite sports actually improve performance when they return? Many experts say yes! Here’s why:
Mental Reset. Maybe your child was facing a hurdle they just couldn’t seem to overcome – a skill they were having trouble mastering, a concept that wasn’t sinking in, or a block they couldn’t bust through. Sometimes the best thing to do if this happens, is to step away. Kids need a mental reset – time where they are not thinking about their sport or project at all. When they return, often they approach the obstacle with a refreshed mindset and they see gains they hadn’t seen in months!
Reevaluation of Priorities. Does she still love the sport? Is participating in this choir still how she wants to spend her time? Sometimes our kids get focused on the next production or the next tournament and don’t take the time to reevaluate if they are as committed as they once were. The answer is often yes, but a break allows kids to recommit to their passions with revitalized energy!
Physical Break. Injuries, overworked bodies, fatigue – these are all real concerns for young athletes and students. There are limits to young peoples’ bodies! Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics warn parents to build in these breaks from the physical stresses of sports and training to avoid injury and fatigue!
Unstressing. Kids perform better when they are relaxed! If they are feeling burned out or worried about their performance, it may affect how they play or how they score. Nature, fresh air, change of scenery, laughing, and letting their guards down will all be hugely beneficial to high-achieving kids when they come back from Camp!
A Restorative Forward Movement
Traditional overnight camps offer a vital sanctuary for high-achieving young people navigating the intense pressures of elite sports and academics. By providing a technology-free environment and simple joys, a camp like Camp Jeanne d’Arc allows campers to take a break from elite sports and academics and experience a profound mental and physical reset. This temporary separation often leads to revitalized energy, a clearer sense of purpose, and ultimately, improved performance upon return. Investing in a break at an overnight camp is not a step back, but a restorative forward movement toward a more balanced and successful future for your child.