Often in the summer when I was younger my mother would pack up my trunk and ship me off to camp for a few weeks. I distinctly remember that mixed feeling of excitement and fear as she drove away leaving me in this unknown place surrounded by strange children.
A few weeks later, I’d stand in that same spot weeping hot tears at the mere thought of saying goodbye to all those children, no longer strangers, each a good friend.
Some years my mom would pack a little notebook so I could write down everyone’s addresses, but in the chaos of packing and goodbyes, I somehow never managed to collect many addresses and last I saw of those friends was their tearful faces in the rear window as we drove away.
To avoid letting your camper’s friendships suffer the same sad fate, consider instead sending him out with a stack of personalized business cards. You can list their mailing address, an email and for the older kids maybe even a Facebook page so that camp doesn’t have to end with the last of the cars pulling out of the driveway. You can even put a photo on the back to make the cards extra personal and memorable!
