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Summer camp, with all its attendant bugs, s’mores and new friends, is a child’s first step toward independence from parents.
It’s also an important educational experience in getting along with peers, being responsible and working with others to achieve a common goal—traits children will need as they grow into adulthood.
But if you send them too early, it could be disastrous and maybe, you tell yourself, potentially damaging for life!
“Within early childhood, there are competing drives and needs of children. On the one hand, children are striving for independence and autonomy,” says Michael Assel, PhD, associate professor and staff psychologist at the Children’s Learning Institute at UTHealth Medical School. “On the other hand, children also value the security that being with parents provides.”
So while you may yearn (or not) for a few weeks of quiet, how do you know when your child is ready for their first overnight camp?
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), the most comprehensive academic health center in The UT System and the U.S. Gulf Coast region, is home to schools of biomedical informatics, biomedical sciences, dentistry, medicine, nursing and public health. UTHealth educates more healthcare professionals than any health-related institution in the State of Texas and features the nation’s seventh-largest medical school. It also includes a psychiatric hospital and a growing network of clinics throughout the region. The university’s primary teaching hospitals include Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. Founded in 1972, UTHealth’s 10,000-plus faculty, staff, students and residents are committed to delivering innovative solutions that create the best hope for a healthier future.
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Simple Ways to Help
Young and Old Eyes
May is Healthy Vision Month and it is imperative to take care of eyes whether they’re young or old.
Children should have their vision checked by age 6, even if there aren’t any signs of eye problems. Healthy eyes and vision are very important to a child’s development. Finding and treating eye problems early on can save a child’s sight. Two common eye problems in children are:
Both of these eye problems can be treated if they are found early.
Here are ways to help your child develop vision skills:
Don’t let poor vision put elders at risk. Leave a three-foot, clear path through each room of their house. Outline edges of steps, coffee tables, doorways and bathtubs with colored tape to contrast with surrounding areas. Install lights along outdoor pathways and keep foyers well lit to avoid having to enter dark areas. Replace switch plates with colors that contrast with walls, or outline them with tape of contrasting colors. It is also always smart to use nightlights during the night.
