New experiences like summer camp can bring a flurry of powerful emotions for your child. Learn how to help your child process their feelings and fears about attending summer camp without running away from the situation altogether.
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
If your child reacts anxiously to new or unpredictable situations, it makes sense they might feel nervous about going to camp. Here are three things you can do to help your child as they consider going to camp this year.
Ask your child to share their fears. Write them down and talk about them. This will help them feel heard and will help you both keep track as they overcome their fears.
Help your child know that their fears make sense based on their thoughts and perceptions. You can boost your child’s confidence by helping them make sense of how they are feeling. For example, you can say, “If you think you’re going to be lonely or uncomfortable it will make you feel nervous and afraid. But I wonder if your thoughts are true What if your mind thought about the cool things that could happen since it is already thinking about what could go wrong? Can we explore that together? You might begin feeling some good things with the new thoughts you’re trying out.”
Provide your child with alternative thoughts. If they say, “What if no one likes me?” you can challenge that by saying, “How would it feel if you made a new friend?”
For more information about how to approach new situations like camp, explore our parenting tips for how to support your kids and handle difficult parenting decisions.
Vice President, Parenting and Youth
Dr. Huerta oversees Focus’ initiatives that equip mothers and fathers with biblical and research based principles and guidance for raising healthy, resilient children rooted in a thriving faith in Christ.
Dr. Huerta is a bilingual psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, author of 7 Traits of Effective Parenting, and co-author of Focus on the Family’s Age and Stage resource, and various other resources. He is also the co-host and expert on the Focus on Parenting and the Practice Makes Parent podcasts.
For many years, he has provided families with practical, biblically-based, and research-based parenting advice on key parenting topics. He has been interviewed by various media outlets including Fox News, Fatherly, Christianity Today, WORLD Magazine, The Christian Post and CBN, and regularly speaks on Christian radio stations and podcasts across the United States. He’s also written for various publications and is a regular speaker at retreats, conventions, family camps, online events worldwide, and on various social media channels.
Dr. Huerta has maintained a private practice serving families in Colorado Springs since 2003 and has also served families as an employee of Focus on the Family since 2004.
He and his wife, Heather, love the outdoors, have been married since 1997, and love spending time with their two adult children.
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