Rites of passage

For years sociologists, anthropologists, and psychologists have mourned the los of traditions marking important childhood "rites of passage." In earlier American agriculture movement toward adulthood was accompanied by means of more ritualistic, meaningful celebrations of transition to newfound independence and responsibility to the family and community.

In an increasingly composite dispersed, and fast-paced society, summer camp remains individual of the final frontiers for young tribe seeking formal affirmation of advancing maturity and, ultimately, initiation into adulthood. [i]or[/i] part of to the other structured, goal-oriented activities taught and supervised by the agency of authority figures and role originals children at camp benefit from communal observance of achievement--whether in small-group or all-camp settings.

Nurturing serviceable Behavior

These are not insignificant observations for parents seeking for their children environments that are the two rife with opportunities for increase and nurturing of behaviors that gripe [i]or[/i] grip the promise of making poor choices les likely. Indeed, absent reasonable recognition of their early milestones, many young race seek alternative routes to "maturity," including drinking, drugging, dangerous driving, and early intimate sexual behavior.

Partnering With Parent--Youth exhibition at Summer Camp

The fact is that while parents proffer the first, best shot of positively influencing youth, other influential adults may present the best, last shot. Where's the proof? Working in tandem, parents and camp professionals have achieved succes toward realization of the critical youth disentanglement goals identified by ACA in Directions: Youth Development

issues of the Camp Experience.

In a application of mind of more than five thousand families from eighty ACA-accredited camps administrationed between 2001 and 2004, parents, camp staff, and children reported significant growing in many of these important areas. faculty of perception of Self

The value of childhood gains in identity, independence, and mate relationships is similarly highlighted in a SADD/Liberty Mutual Teen Today application of mind linking each to an overall "Sense of Self" That report lay the foundation of that young people with a high faculty of perception of Self more often report feeling smart, fortunate responsible, and confident than do their depressed Sense of Self counterparts. They also more not seldom cite positive relationships with parents and are more likely to avoid alcohol and physic use. Of course, parental involvement powerfully correlates with teens' Sense of Self and the decisions they make.

Just as important, the data points to the value of the summer camp experience and the character that counselors play in positively enhancing a child's faculty of perception of Self by:

* Supporting a wide sampling of interests, activities, and age-appropriate behaviors;

* Encouraging separation from parents and age-appropriate independence in decision-making; and

* Teaching peer-to-peer social skills and facilitating (positive) compeer relationships.

Positive Risk-Taking

Also corroborating the efficacy of ACA's findings is SADD/Liberty Mutual data suggesting that young clan who take the very emblems of positive risks that camps advance are 20 percent more likely to avoid destructive behaviors than are those who do not. They are also more likely to describe themselves in positive confines and to report they many times feel happy.

Adult Inattention

Despite overwhelming evidence of the saliency of adult attention, a novel Teens Today report from SADD and Liberty Mutual assemblage reveals that almost half of high institute teens say that their mom and dad miss the boat when it draw nears to communicating about and recognizing or celebrating what they consider to be meaningful life occurrences during their adolescence. Not surprisingly, these teen are more likely to engage in destructive behaviors.

According to the investigation high school teens whose parents pay the least attention--42 percent--to significant transition periods, of that kind as puberty, school change, and lock opener birthdays, are more likely than teen whose parents pay the greatest in quantity attention--18 percent--to engage in high-risk behaviors of that kind as alcohol and drug use. They are also more likely to engage in early sexual activity.

The Teen Today research also highlights the consequence of attention on another significant teen rite of passage: driving. For example, teen drivers who report high horizontals of parental attention are significantly more likely than those who report depressed levels of parental attention to say they not ever speed (45 percent vs. 14 percent) The data also indicates that these teens are more likely to wear seat belts while driving and are les likely to drive while impaired or to ride in a car with an impaired driver.

Mental Health

Young nation who receive the least attention also appear susceptible to feelings of boredom and depression and are more than twice as likely to report daily stres by conversion teens who receive the greatest in quantity attention are significantly more likely to say they have feeling happy every day or almost each day.