Sunday, June 15, 2008

sCAMPs GETTING ALONG

Sidebar: Happy Father's Day to my dad, husband, and father-in-law. Really to all dads. I know you are all the unsung heroes that work really hard for the things that people mostly take for granted...like a roof over our heads, etc. Thanks for working so hard and never complaining!

So, I guess it was about 3-5 minuted into our summer vacation that I realized my children have some "issues" with getting along with each other. Seriously, I've seen more human decency on a New York subway than was happening in my own livingroom. I decided that my children need a camp where people learn to get along and since I couldn't find one to go to, I have created one.

In sCAMPs GETTING ALONG, your scamp will learn how to interact in a respectful way to adults and peers. The sCAMP day will start off by singing the sCAMP song, which is "Let's Get Together" from Parent Trap. Then, we do our sCAMP exercises which are currently the Electric Slide, Cha-Cha slide and Crank that Soulja Boy (which is maybe a little too racy for sCAMP, but it's fun). Points are earned each day for participating in sCAMP activities and field trips...but, only if you are able to get along.

There are four goals to sCAMPs GETTING ALONG:

1. Learn to use words that are respectful and do not cut other people down. In this rude, rude society we live in, it is very easy to think that rudeness and/or sarcasm is OK. It's really not. Not at sCAMPs GETTING ALONG.

2. Learn the art of negotiation and compromise. No one can get their way all of the time. No one can be the boss all of the time. It is important to learn not only to be a good leader, but to be a good follower.

3. Learn how to handle someone saying no to you without taking offense. It is important to ask for what you want. Otherwise, as my dad always saud, you have no chance of getting it. If you ask for it, you at least have a 50% chance of getting it. However, when someone says no...roll with it, baby.

4. Learn how to laugh at yourself more than you laugh at others. We all make mistakes. And, if you're me, you make tons of them. If I can get the sCAMPers to not take themselves so seriously, they won't feel like they have to point out everyone else's mistakes to keep people from noticing their own.

We also hope to have fun!

We even have a theme verse:

Romans 14:19 "Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification."

And, sCAMP names:

Trisha: Charlie (this is from a recent viewing of Top Gun)
Jonathan: Twig-O (I have no idea)
Jaden: Blaze 897 (It's his Webkinz login name)
Ryan: Poop (I think because he didn't want to play, but now he's stuck with it)
Hayleigh: Baby Bug

Trisha's comment on the first day: "I'm really surprised, but this actually kind of fun." :)

sCAMPs GETTING ALONG...where children learn to get along, and are surprised when they sometimes have fun!!

2 comments:

AmyinMotown said...

Sweet! Where do I sign up Maggie?

noblekleigh said...

Um....You know the Soulja Boy? Scary :)