Any advice on dealing with homesickness?

nightingale, RN · Jun 16, 2006

Is it a large facility? I am curious.

Our Camp Couselors, who slept in the bunks, housed in many bunks spread out over camp, handled this. In general, kids were told they could call home at certain set times. Homesickness would crop up but it was not a huge issue.

What is the age goup of the Campers. How long will they be there at a time?

Trauma Columnist · Jun 16, 2006

This may sound dumb but if these kids are getting homesick, maybe they are too young or the camp is too long?

BonnieSc · Jun 22, 2006

Homesickness can strike anyone, young or old! Definitely, some of the homesick kids will be too young for camp, or too inexperienced (i.e. never been away from home). It doesn't seem to matter how long they're at camp. When I was a kid, I loved camp more than I loved home, but I still got homesick while I was there... even when I was fifteen.

Counselors should deal with most homesickness, but they won't be experienced enough to deal with severe cases, and trying to deal with it may interfere with their care of the other campers. So it is sometimes appropriate to turn it over to the nurse (though I think they should turn it over to the administrative staff first--depends on the camp structure).

Every kid is so different, and different things work for different staff, so it's difficult to give homesickness advice. I do think that one of the most important things is not to give it much attention. Take care of any physical symptoms, give quick hugs throughout the day, and send them back to have fun.

Many camps don't allow children to call home, BTW.

Homesickness is normal and natural and doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the kids, or with the care they're getting... and it does pass! For the rare cases I've seen where the child is truly miserable and doesn't seem to get better over many days, sometimes it's time to go home. But I think that should be used VERY, VERY rarely.

marybethm · Jul 22, 2006

I would not let the kids call home---you're right---it never works, it only makes it worse. The only thing I know of that works is keeping them busy and happy. And with the littler kids, when one is homesick, they all start crying...it's like dominoes. In one cabin at my camp, all the little kids (boys) cried every night for the first three days. There were 10 of them. What a nightmare. But the counselors were great and they got over it and had a great time.

CareBearnurse · Jul 28, 2007

At our camp homesickness is very common, the worst cases manifesting physical ills, i.e. stomach ache, nausea, headache, even asthma flair ups. And some kids are so good at faking symptoms such as a UTI. Counselors prefer to take charge of homesickness, unless it one of these physical compaints comes in to play. And, honestly, for the nurse it can be hard to tell whether something medically may be developing or if it's just homesickess. If the child is fine during the day, but these physical ills repeat themselves every night or just at certain times of the day, such as turtle time, it's usually homesickness. It's important for counselors and nurses to realize that a lack of sleep, feeling 'yucky' due to sweating and camp dust can increase feelings homesickness, too. Who wouldn't want to be at home to take a nice clean, private bath/shower and to curl up in one's bed with a book perhaps, until falling asleep in your airconditioned room, lol. I've had the feeling many of times!

Seemoni · Jul 29, 2007

Ahhh Homesickness. It truly can strike anyone but I see it more in the younger kids. And I don't just mean the 6 and 7 year olds. Whoever is the youngest tends to be the most homesick. If we have 10-12 year olds in session then 10 year olds tend to be more homesick. If we have 7-10 year olds the 10 year olds are fine but those 7 year olds feel it. Either way, I feel that calling parents is the worst thing you can ever do. I also feel that the nurse isn't the best person to deal with this. As much as its in our nature to wanna help, you really don't want that kid bonding with you so much. You'll find that just leads to them wanting to hang out in the clinic all day and take even less interest in their peers and camp activities. The counselors are typically a great point guard for home sickness, and when kids bond to them they tend to bond more with the cabinmates as well. I just like to be a resource to the counselors, and if they're at their wits end and can't deal with mopiness anymore, I'll come into the picture. If you become mom at camp they won't want to leave you and hanging out at the Clinic isn't what camp's all about.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Aug 5, 2007

I had quite an experience this year. My daughter is 7, and I was the nurse for the week. She was in a 'domino' homesick unit: they got more homesick each day (nights were the worse, they were pretty good during the day). It was only a week. And the fact that i was there seemed to make it worse (because i was someone's mommy). Every time the kids saw me, they told my daughter how lucky she was to have her mom there. Meanwhile, she tried to cling to me every time she saw me, and missed her dad a lot (we are not together, and she spent the entire week before camp with him), so she was feeling homesick as well. (BTW, she was absolutely fine last year, and did not want me around at all).

So yeah, I do agree that calling home is not a solution, it only makes it worse, reminds them more of home. The only time we are allowed to let them call home is if they are very sick, or get their first period.

In my experience, the counselors are not good at reassuring them. my daughter told me that one of them told one of the kids in her group to 'grow up' about something:nono:. And the letters that come in from home do not help either, when the parents tell them how much they miss them, or how great things are at home. We had one girl whose parents told her they were going on vacation for the week:rolleyes: The kid was homesick, had every physical symptom imaginable, and was crying because they were having a great time and she was 'stuck' at camp. The same parents told the kid they'd come and get her (when she snuck a call to them on another kids cellphone) then spoke to the camp director and told her they could not come to get her.

Rant over.

edgwow · Aug 11, 2007

Did 6 weeks this summer. When ever a kid is sick enough to be admitted to the health office, after 2 or 3 days, I called home and gave the parent the option to pick the kid up. When a kid would come up crying with persistant physical ailments, wanting to call home, I always referred to the director, as the unwritten policy is that the nurse can call home, but preferably when the camper is not in the office. It only makes the home sickness worse. I also found that a private bathroom and a warm cup of tea with sugar go a long way, as constipated kids always want their mother!

Dinsey · Dec 25, 2007

We had a pretty slick remedy that worked especially well at night with the kids under 12. We don't allow calls home either.

We told them that we have a very special cream that helps a lot of kids when they are homesick and offer it to them. Then we make them get into their PJs and climb into bed and slowly rub the special cream onto their backs while talking softly to them and reminding them that they will be ok.

It's Eucerin in a little container labeled "Homesickness Cream"

jelly221,RN · Jan 25, 2008

I've been a camp counselor a couple of times, and we almost always dealt with our own "homesickies". I had one particular camper who would get so worked up she would throw up occasionally. She was a sweet girl, and had her cousin there, which I think actually made it worse. My co-counselor and I tried our hardest to just keep her busy and keep her mind off it, letting them call home wasn't an option except in the most extreme situation (nothing could distract them- I never saw this happen).

However, the times she would get sick and we'd go to the nurse was a LIFESAVER for me- I got so burnt out and it was nice to have someone else cheer her up. Our camp nurse somehow always knew the right things to say to divert her attention. I'm not sure if there's much else you can do for homesickness, but for all you camp nurses, thanks from a counselor who needed relief!

CampNurse1 · Nov 29, 2011

Here is a good link: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/192.full

First things first: Rule out any somatic issues. Is that bellyache gastroenteritis, or appendicitis, dehydration (usually the case), etc.? Sometimes I tell the Camper Director the presented signs & syms do not match anything I know of. Some camps have staff deal with homesickness, others toss it to the nurse.

Then, "How are you getting along here at camp?" "Are you homesick?" "How homesick are you?"

If yes, I'll say something like, "Well, shoot, that's important! I'm glad you came to see me. (validation) Let's write a letter home right away." I then go from there.

NO PHONE CALLS OR TEXTS HOME! It leaves camper and parent feeling terrible, and can lead to early pick up. If parents give in to early pick up, it will damage, maybe permanently, the camper's sense of independence, and further lower self-esteem. If parents do not decide to pick up early, it can leave the camper feeling hopeless, with no chance of rescue. Not good.

If the behavior is getting dangerous, you can't win 'em all. You have your other campers to think of. Get with the Camp Director and send them home. Campers going home should wait for their transportation away from other campers under constant supervision of a staff member (hopefully not the busy nurse). Have their luggage at hand. Sign them out quickly, for it is often not a happy reunion. The parents are, at best, resigned to the situation. If the parent(s) are educable, some suggestions can be made at sign out.

If coping strategies are successful, be sure and validate the camper. Check with them (meal time works well for me), and say things like, "You're making it all the way through? Now that's what I call a man!" Make sure the other campers hear you, lol. If the camper gives you a negative response, go private.

Document your intervention and follow up.

Good luck, and stick to evidence-based practice. It is the most defensible, and is your best chance of success.