I want to share a very official-looking chart:

On the left is what parents think about going into the summer. On the right is what campers actually experience.

Is this scientific data with error bars and extensive peer review? Of course not. It’s mostly just pattern recognition from watching lots of camp sessions over the years.

But it was the clearest way to explain and answer one of the most common questions we get from parents.

The Question

“How do you handle homesickness at camp?”

This is a genuine, caring question. Sending a child away from home for a couple of weeks is no small thing. It’s a huge thing.

Of course parents think about whether their kids will struggle. Of course parents are wondering if their kids will miss home.

We get so many parents asking this because we have so many great parents coming to Champions.

But there’s another important piece of this. Namely, parents think about this considerably more than kids do.

Let’s Rename This

First, the word “homesickness.”

It sounds like a diagnosis. Something medical that needs treatment.

But no one is sick.

Kids might miss home. That’s completely normal and healthy. Missing home doesn’t mean something is wrong. It means they love home and the life that’s been built there.

Missing home is part of growing independence. It’s a sign that home matters, which is rather obvious.

Camp doesn’t replace home. We’re not trying to. Kids love home.

They just get absorbed in camp life pretty quickly. The daily rhythm, the activities, the friendships. These come to the forefront in the best way.

Brief moments of missing family are natural. They’re also okay.

What Actually Happens

Most campers settle in fast.

Within hours (sometimes minutes), they’re making friends, choosing activities, laughing at some new inside joke during lunch. The constant activity and friendship is the answer to dwelling on missing home.

When kids do think about missing home, it’s usually brief. A moment at bedtime. A passing thought between activities. Then they’re back to playing Gaga or splashing around in the Spin Cycle.

If it’s anything more than that, we handle it with individualized attention, extra support, and patience. Our staff recognize it, spot it, and know how to help kids through it.

And yes, if needed, we will call home and keep everyone in the loop.

But most of the time? Kids are having too much fun to spend time thinking about missing home.

Camp works because kids are engaged. The friendships, the activities, the community all add up to a fully present experience.

Who’s Doing the Missing?

Parents tell us after every session, after they’ve heard all about camp from their child, that they were the ones doing most of the missing. Their kids? Busy having the time of their lives.

Makes sense. The house feels quiet. Wondering what they’re doing right now. Checking email constantly for photo and video updates.

Totally normal.

Dropping them off for a few weeks triggers natural concern. It’s not hovering or being overprotective. It’s just love.

Kids may miss home AND still be completely okay. Both things can be true at the same time.

This independence is part of growing up. Kids learning they can handle new situations. Discovering they’re more capable than they thought. Building confidence.

And it’s okay to feel the weight of that separation too. That’s what loving parents do.

What We’ve Seen

Summer after summer, we watch kids thrive.

They arrive nervous. They leave confident. They miss home briefly. They settle into camp life. They love their family at home. They also love their cabin.

None of this is contradictory. It’s just growing up.

Missing home is totally normal. It means they love home, and they’re also growing. That’s exactly why camp exists in the first place.

Erec Sir