Children Cope with Divorce
Can Summer Camp Help?

It seems like a cliché sending kids to summer camp while you finalize your divorce. However, it is still a common strategy used by divorcing parents. They think that children cope with divorce better if they don’t have to watch their parents go through the emotional trauma of the final phase of a divorce. In theory this strategy for dealing with children and divorce is not inherently wrong, but in practice it does not always create the results that are intended.

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There are advantages of sending children to summer camp in order to help them cope with your divorce. The first advantage is that is does shield them from some effects of divorce on children, such as seeing their parents fight with each other over the final points of the divorce agreement. Next it helps the divorcing parents cope better with the divorce by reducing their stress level. They know that their children are being taken care of and that they are having fun. This means that they can focus on getting through the divorce instead of having to balance taking care of the kids, taking care of their professional responsibilities and finalizing their divorce. The final advantage is that many summer camps offer psychological counseling services that your children can take advantage if they need extra help to cope with your divorce.

While there are a few advantages of sending children of divorce to summer camp to help them cope, there are also several drawbacks that you should think about. The first problem is that not all summer camps have counselors that have the training needed to deal with the emotional issues your children may have because of your divorce. The second problem is that the summer camp may not know which divorcing parent has legal custody of the children. This may create legal issues that the camp isn’t equipped to handle, especially if the child is picked up by the non-custodial parent or if an accident happens at camp. The final drawback is that by sending your children away during your divorce they may develop feelings of abandonment.

If you are considering sending your children to summer camp while your divorce is finalized then you may want to first talk this over with your kids. Their feelings about summer camp should be taken into consideration. If they are opposed to the idea then you may not want to pursue the idea further. However, if they are interested in going to summer camp then it may be a great opportunity for both of you to take advantage of. If your kids are up for summer camp then you can let them help you find a summer camp for them to attend. By allowing them to be apart of the decision, you will be reinforcing that you still love them, that you respect them as individuals and you will make them feel like they are helping the family.

Summer camp is not the best option for every family going through a divorce. However, for some families it can be a great way to reduce the stress that is being experienced by the entire family. Before making a decision about whether or not sending your children away during your divorce is right or wrong, call a family meeting and see how everyone feels about it.