When I was a kid (way back in the mid-70s), keeping in touch with our parents was a hit or miss game. Phones didn’t have answering machines, and if you said you were going to the library with friends, your parents had no real way to check if you were studying or partying. These days, parents can call up their kids’ cell phone location using GPS and keep in constant touch using Facebook and text messaging. I had pen pals around the country and loved writing and receiving handwritten letters. Today, both my 8 and 6 year olds have their own e-mail accounts for keeping in touch with grandparents and we share family news and photos over Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes it’s all a bit overwhelming and I miss those days of being excited to check the mailbox for a letter or card.

There are few places in this world however, that can re-connect us and let our kids experience the “good old communication days.” Summer camp is one such place.

High-Tech for Parents

Sleepaway summer camps these days are a refreshing and wonderful mix of high- and low-tech communication methods. The good old days of camp were fine, and I loved receiving letters, but I can’t imagine being a parent waiting for the occasional letter home now (looking back, my letters were ridiculously bereft of real information; I sent wish lists!). Today’s parents have instant access to the world of camp through camp websites and social networking sites like Facebook. Many camps, for example, has a secure parent-only section that requires a log-in and password. Through this portal, parents can view photos, send one-way e-mails to campers, schedule phone calls, read blogs from counselors and staff and keep their camper’s information up-to-date. These portals are also easy to find: look for links with names like CampMinder, CampOffice, or links for current families.

Campers still make occasional phone calls home — check your Parent Handbook for details. Parents of new campers usually receive a call from the camp’s director within the first three days with a progress report on how the adjustment process is going.

A little low-tech as well

Even with all this communication technology at hand though, most summer camps still recommend that parents send at least some handwritten letters to their campers. Campers love them, and it keeps the art of writing letters alive. Don’t type and print out your letters either. Reading a handwritten letter is so rare and special these days — give your kids that gift! Margaret Shepherd has an excellent book on the art of handwritten letters if you are interested.

Low-Tech for Campers

For some campers, especially those in the tween and teen years, adjusting to the low-tech nature of summer camp can be surprisingly quick and painless, despite recent stories in the media, including this one from NPR, that claim young people’s constant reliance on technology is eroding their interpersonal skills. Camps nip this problem in the bud. Campers simply aren’t allowed to bring cell phones or web-enabled devices with them. Campers can receive (but not respond to) e-mails from their parents and family and most camps print out e-mails for campers to read, keeping the kids at a distance from the almighty computer to continue communicating face to face.

Living at camp requires campers to express themselves and their needs verbally, whether its in conversations with friends or with counselors and other staff. Life goes much more smoothly for a camper who can talk openly with others and be a good listening ear for a homesick friend.

As adults who grew up in a less technological age, we know that the core of friendship lies in the things we share and the stories we tell with others. Staying up late and whispering secrets in the dark leads to friendships that last a lifetime, which is why talk will always trump a text message.

Thanks to Caitlinator and Mkyl Roventine for the photos.

Susan