Summer camp can help your child recover from pandemic 'languishing'

In April, The New York Times gave a name to the stagnation and emptiness many of us are feeling as we enter the second year of the pandemic: “languishing”. 

Periods of intense grief, worry, or change fatigue the human body and mind. We experience a slow mental crash. The New York Times explains it as a “joyless”, “aimless” feeling, not depressed but also not thriving: “As if you’re muddling through your days.” It’s also a risk factor for mental illness.

This feeling isn’t just for adults. I believe it’s also common among many of our children this year. Many parents tell me they’re having a harder time getting their kids off screens and technology, outside, or back into the activities they used to enjoy. I see this same reluctance in my children too.

The CDC recently released data showing that the proportion of emergency room visits related to children's mental health skyrocketed from 2019 to 2020, and the chief of psychology at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston warned that the mental health crisis among kids could be the next “wave” in the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal began its exposé of the growing mental health crisis among kids with one student’s quote: “Every day is the exact same. You kind of feel like, what’s the point?”

As we continue into the summer, we need to help our kids find “the point” again.

In a follow-up, The New York Times identified several antidotes to the COVID-19 funk—chief among them, finding community and connection and trying something new. But what’s “new” in 2021 for kids may actually be returning to the old—the things that used to bring them joy, like being around other kids, being active, and being creative.

Sending our kids to Christian camps this summer could be one of the best things we do for them.

It has long been known that spending time in nature, socializing, and play are foundational to kids’ health development. But research before COVID-19 hit found that 75% of children didn’t get enough playtime. Kids this summer need to feel the sun on their faces, the grass under their feet, and the release of the burdens of worry, confusion and isolation they’ve been carrying for the past year.

Camps can also fulfill a unique spiritual need for our kids. Christian camps create a safe community of faith role models and friends, encouraging campers to explore and grow in their faith. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s crucial for children to get back into intentional communities that redirect kids back to the true hope and joy that comes from knowing Jesus.

Not only that, camp is a much-needed opportunity for parents to take a break. In years past, during our week-long overnight camps, I met many parents who were dropping off their children and heading off for an adult vacation. I encourage parents to use this time not to work more, but to do something that will bring them joy, spend time on self-care, or spend quality time with their spouse. Camp may actually be the antidote to languishing in adults too.

Another idea for parents of multiple children is to send their kids to camp on different weeks. This will give parents the time to bond one-on-one with their kids who are at home that week. We have all spent so much time together during the pandemic that most of us have been unable to give quality time to our kids individually. Kids who have this quality time, research has shown, are physically and mentally healthier and are less likely to use drugs or alcohol.

Camps this year are taking extra safety precautions that will keep kids healthy—from COVID- cleaning products and daily temperature checks, to drive-thru drop-offs. Fun and safety do not have to be mutually exclusive. With these precautions in place, kids will finally have the freedom to feel like kids again and discover who God calls them to be.