Dear Bob, Our coed resident camp is in a fairly remote area, but last year “progress” found us and we now have cell service in camp. Even before this blessing we discovered campers had been smuggling cell phones into camp to use on trips out of camp. (We have a clearly stated “no-cell-phones-in-camp” policy). How [...]
In The Trenches with Bob Ditter
Smart Counselors (July-August, 2006)
Maybe you’ve seen her on TV. She’s the no-nonsense, matronly woman with that “don’t-even-think-about messing with me” look on her face. She is the person desperate parents call when their children become unmanageable. She’s “Nanny 911” and she knows a thing or two about working with children that any savvy camp counselor [...]
Adventures with Camp Parents (May-June, 2006)
Very often while I am visiting a camp in June or July, I not only hear about challenging camper behavior, but perplexing parent behavior as well. I decided to share one of these episodes as a way of illustrating techniques for working more effectively with camper parents. I have changed a few minor [...]
Scenes from Camp (March-April, 2006)
June and July are travel months for me. Twenty days each month I can be found in a camp somewhere in the United States listening to the tales of counselors dealing valiantly with challenging camper behavior. I have chosen to share a couple of episodes from last summer with the hope that you, [...]
Camper-Counselor Contact—After Camp (July-August, 2005)
Dear Bob, We have a veteran staff member who is excellent with children. He is a school guidance counselor known for his good work with students. He doesn’t seem to have a strong peer group apart from the youngsters he spends time with, and he is constantly creating opportunities to befriend boys through the ski [...]
More Respect (May-June, 2005)
Dear Bob, I am writing in response to the “Frustrated Director” (“In the Trenches, March-April, 2005, “Respect for Authority”). I liked the article and feel that it provides a valuable perspective. I have a few thoughts: 1. I would answer the director’s question (what do I do with this kid?) more directly. From a Camp Director’s [...]
Respect for Authority (March-April, 2005
Dear Bob, Last summer we had a camper who refused to listen to his counselor. He would not help out during clean-up and consistently pushed his dirty clothes under his bed. Getting him out of his cabin to activities was always a challenge, as was getting him back to the cabin or to meals afterwards. [...]
Internet Blues (January-February, 2005)
Dear Bob, We had an upsetting situation occur between two campers during the off season that we’d like to get your thoughts about. One of our twelve year-old male campers began receiving threatening e-mails from a screen name I can’t share with you, but which was itself a menacing moniker. The camper, whom I shall [...]
Changing Practices to Meet a Growing Concern (September-October, 2004)
The verbal and physical abuse and intimidation of campers by other campers has been receiving increasing attention from both parents and camp professionals alike. In a 1999 survey of several insurance companies that count camps among their clients, I found that up to 24% of “crisis calls” to the hotlines of those companies involved [...]
Seven Skills of Highly Effective Counselors (July-August, 2004)
Whether you are a volunteer, a new staff member or a seasoned counselor, working with campers can be both rewarding and challenging. Children can be fun, warm, engaging and energetic. They can also be cranky, mean to one another, over-stimulated and stubborn! Being successful with campers requires that you have a consistent [...]