Homesickness (continued)

Though it may be difficult, resist the urge to take your child home immediately, especially if there are no physical symptoms. Homesickness may worsen when a child has downtime - during early morning, rest hour, and just before bed, for example - and it can be contagious. That's why most camps pack a child's day with activities - they know that children who engage in distracting activities and seek social support are generally less homesick. Most cases of homesickness resolve once a child makes a new friend or finds an enjoyable activity, so give it a little time.

You might also want to talk with a counselor to find out how your child is doing. Camp counselors are used to dealing with homesick children and their worried parents, and checking in with them can probably put your mind at ease.

When to Cut the Separation Short

For the majority of kids, bouts of homesickness are normal occurrences that eventually pass. However, for a small percentage of kids, homesickness may be severe, causing symptoms of panic and depression. If you find that your child has not been eating or sleeping for an extended period of time, or the homesickness interferes with daily activities, you may need to talk about some things that the camp or the counselors can do to help your child. Familiar routines can alleviate anxiety, so see if the counselors can provide some foods that your child likes or discuss your child's bedtime routine so that the counselors can provide something similar.

If the problems persist and there's talk of sending your child home, you may want to visit your child first. If the visit helps, consider promising your child to visit again. If visiting isn't possible or doesn't help, you may want to bring your child home. When eating, sleeping, and daily activities are significantly disrupted, your child is not benefiting from the experience and it's wise to just call it a day. No one knows your child as well as you, so always trust your instincts.

If you bring your child home early, be sure not to make him or her feel like a failure. Instead, acknowledge your child's good attempt and say that there may be future camp opportunities. For these kids, day camp might be an appropriate stepping-stone until they're more ready for sleepaway camp.

Homesickness can be tough to deal with, but once those early days are past, your child may find there's a world of adventures to be discovered. Who knows, camp could be so much fun that your child won't want to leave!

Reviewed by: W. Douglas Tynan, PhD
Date reviewed: December 2005
Originally reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

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