The past week and a half has been A LOT. (And has it only been a week and a half?) Like so many others, I’m sitting here at my desk in my home office. And in the background, I hear Eric helping our 5th grader with math homework, our younger daughter (in Kindergarten) is running up the stairs to show me the story she wrote and illustrated, I’m on my third cup of coffee and it’s just 9:30am. I haven’t showered. (And forget about makeup and doing my hair.) I’ve been on an average of about 3 Zoom calls a day (between work and checking up on my family and friends) and my iPhone has informed me that my screen time has increased by an hour and 42 minutes in the past week. Wow. That would be overwhelming if I felt secure that we, as a world community, were not suffering. If I were able to be together with friends, celebrate our upcoming holiday with family, travel for Spring Break with our kids – this still would feel hard. And yet… this is our new “normal”. To be honest, this isn’t a life I want to settle into for a long period of time. I’d prefer to feel more calm and less anxious.

As a working parent, it’s easy to feel like I’m not “good enough”. It often feels as if I can only excel in one area of life at a time. It’s work OR parenting, mothering OR partnering. But what this upheaval is teaching me is that – whatever I’m doing – it’s definitely enough. I don’t have to be great at everything, and certainly not perfect at anything.

Every day is not going to go well. There will be days where the kids don’t do anything educational. Days where we don’t get exercise or fresh air. We may eat chicken nuggets 2 days in a row. We will not fall apart. I’m sure many of you read the article in the NY Times, “I refuse to run a corona virus homeschool”. Reading it gave me permission to let go. Deep breath. We will get through this.

I wanted to share a few of the things I’ve been doing that have been helpful to me in the past week. (I’ll share the healthy habits and will just mention that in addition to these helpful habits, I’ve also been eating junk-food and watching too much mindless television…it’s all about balance, right?!)

Breathe

It’s so simple. We do it every few seconds. But sometimes, it’s important to do it with intention. I took a MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course at Penn a few years ago and have tried to dust off what I learned. It takes practice and patience but it really does work. Just 5 minutes a day to stop everything else and focus on my breath really helps. And if I can, 5 minutes in the morning and 5 before bed makes life feel less overwhelming. To start, I highly recommend letting someone guide you through a meditation. I love the free app called Insight Timer. You can look for what you want/need there based on theme AND time limit! (Start with short sessions!) In a few days, I’ll be leading a mindfulness session for our virtual Akeela community and you can come listen to what I find helpful in my own practice.

Discover a hobby or task that brings you joy

I love to bake bread. I love the fact that I have to stop and focus on one thing at a time. I love the way the dough feels and I love creating something that I can then share with others. (Maybe I’ll lead a bread baking session online for the Akeela community too!) What makes you feel good? Did you have a hobby a long time ago that made you feel that way? Maybe you had to stop because you didn’t have time. Try again now. Knitting? Writing? Singing? Playing an instrument? Yoga? Dance? Gardening. Don’t do it WITH anyone. Do it yourself and enjoy the solitude.

Engage in a task that makes you feel in control

Go through your closet and get rid of the clothes that don’t fit. If you’re like me, you have old suits from the 90’s that no longer fit, are out of style and are no longer needed! (I don’t know any camp directors who wear suits to work!!!) Maybe sorting through your Tupperware will make your cabinets feel roomier, and kids are great helpers with sorting! Have your kids look through their clothes and put a few bags aside for future donations.

In a time where we feel trapped and without choice, doing something that feels useful and organizing can give us the same internal sense of organization that we’re all craving now.

Get rest

I’ve heard from many people that they’re struggling to get a good night’s rest. Me too. I pride myself on getting a solid 8 hours a night of high-quality sleep. Well – that’s not currently the case. I’ve been tossing and turning this past week. A few thoughts about healthy sleep:

• Keep your screens out of your bedroom. You should not be looking at a screen an hour before you want to fall asleep.
• Try to meditate or stretch for 10 minutes before you get into bed.
• Wake up at the same time every day. Our circadian rhythm is set by our wake time so it’s important that we stay on a regular schedule.
• Get outside – sunlight is really important for sleep cycles and while you’re outside, get exercise! (But at least an hour before bed!)

Turn off the news

It’s hard not to become glued to our sources of news. We want to know what’s happening. But you know what? No one really knows. We need to wait and see and that’s not what we want to hear. Things are changing rapidly and I know I’m struggling to keep up. I’ve found that reading too much or watching too many news stories just amps up my anxiety. Take an inventory of where you are. Do you feel more anxious, grumpy, impatient, physically ill after engaging with news? Does reading about other people’s complaints, struggles, illnesses on Facebook make you feel worse? Then stop reading it! Just put it away. Take a break. Maybe tomorrow you’ll feel stronger, better, less hopeless.

Finally… hug your partner, your kids

Call a friend who makes you happy. I had a virtual cocktail hour with my cousins – the last time we were all together was for a funeral over a year ago. This was a perfect excuse! Find joy in the small things and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll need to remind yourself that this is temporary. When I was little and afraid of thunderstorms, my parents would get out a book by Mr. Rogers who said that thunder storms never last more than 15 minutes. (He’s really right, by the way!) We just need to weather the storm.

Hello, my name is Katerina, and I’m currently 24 years old. I can proudly say I was camper at Akeela for many years (until I aged out). For my guest post, I wanted to reflect on my experience as a camper at Camp Akeela and how the skills I learned there helped me continue to succeed in my life, even after my time at camp was finished.

Flashback to the summer of 2010, when Disney Channel Original Movies and trading friendship bracelets were childhood staples. That summer, I was one of the older campers, residing in Bunk 13. My bunk had just returned from our activities at the farm. It was fun, but for me one of my challenges was mess, so farm activities were a lot of hard work as well. I was relieved for my counselor to tell us it was free time; she told us we could play soccer or just sit in front of the cabin and hang out. I always liked being able to write in a journal. This particular day, my counselor encouraged me to try something new, so I agreed to play soccer for a bit first. It proceeded to downpour. We all had to run back to the cabin, some of us now soaked from running in the rain! To pass the time, we sang songs from the Hannah Montana movie, and I taught my bunkmates all the choreography from the movie.

I didn’t know it then, but in that hour of free time, I shaped a vital part of what made me who I am and the skills that make me unique. I learned that I could work in a team. I learned that I enjoy having a creative outlet, such as dance or music (rather than my bunkmates who found their outlets playing soccer or other more athletic activities). I also learned that even with my social challenges, I thoroughly enjoyed being with people, and even more so helping people.

Now skip forward to May 2017, and I am a graduating senior at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. I have successfully lived in mainstream housing on campus. My major is Media Studies; where I learned how to write and make creative projects that can help people. (In my case, my senior capstone project was creating a short film about anxiety and living uniquely.) I have also choreographed and taught dance to college peers, and displayed my dances school-wide through college recitals. I created my own club on campus to encourage friends to get together on Friday nights to watch some TV shows and movies while catching up; my own version of what Akeela free time did for me. Now post-grad and in the workforce, I work full-time as a teacher in a daycare center. I get to help children of all abilities grow and learn how to be their best selves. Looking back, I would not be where I am today had I not been able to learn and develop skills through camp.

So to any Akeela campers and families (prospective or otherwise) reading this, I want to leave you with this thought. Being a camper influences your life in so many ways that go beyond the right now. It is more than just three weeks of camp. This is an opportunity for you to discover what makes you … well, you! You can learn all about the things you like to do, and some things you don’t like (and that’s okay, it’s just as important!) Lastly, and this helped me a lot, it is a chance to meet other people like you. Your differences and challenges can come with a lot of feelings, but being with other people who might feel the same as you and understand what you’re dealing with can make conquering your challenges that much less intimidating. Being a part of Camp Akeela shaped me into who I am, and it can do the same for you if you take on the challenge.

These are extremely hard times for everyone. With so much uncertainty, many of us feel more anxious than usual. No doubt, this is true for Akeela campers, too, as they tend to thrive when there is predictability and consistency … neither of which exist right now. That’s hard to cope with and we want to help in every way we can. Without schools, libraries, restaurants, you and your kids may feel trapped – so here are some ideas that might make your days feel more structured and predictable.

Camp is 3 months away but, with all this extra time, why not start practicing a camp schedule? Below is a version of the Akeela daily schedule, adjusted for home life (brought to you by your camp directors … who are also stuck at home with young kids!)

Daily “Camp” Schedule

7:30am       Wakeup & Morning Routine

• Brush your teeth
• Wash your face
• Make your bed

8:00am       Breakfast
older kids can help with cooking/prep and younger kids can set the table. Everyone should help with clearing dishes and washing when possible.

8:30am       Clean-up

• Tidy your room/space
• Put away clean clothes
• Make sure all dirty clothes are in your hamper
• Put away any games/activities that are out

9:00am       Morning Huddle
What’s the plan for the day? Does everyone have what he/she needs? What is one thing you’re looking forward to?

9:15am       Activity One
Math, SS, Science, English/Reading, Foreign Language
(if you have school assignments, you can spread them out, one subject for each activity period.)

10:15am       Activity Two
See above

11:15am       Free Time!
Are their neighbors around? Play outside! Build a fort, a fairy house, paint rocks. Write a poem about nature. Draw a landscape. Make an obstacle course in your back yard. Go for a walk/run/bike ride around your neighborhood.

12:00pm       Lunch!
Again, everyone can help with setting up, cleanup….etc.)

12:45pm       Rest Hour
Quiet time alone in your room….read, rest, draw, listen to music….etc.

1:45am       Activity Three
More academics or:

• Cooking lesson with a parent or older sibling
• Life Skills: (learn how to….) Do laundry, wash dishes, wash a car, clean a bathroom, vacuum, mop, sweep
• Practice a musical instrument
• Art projects (from Amazon, pinterest….etc.)
• More outside play/running, biking, walking

2:45pm       Snack!

3:00pm       Activity Four (Specialty)
Camper Choice! (choose from a list of options from your parents)

4:00pm       Activity Five (Specialty)
Camper Choice! (choose from a list of options from your parents)

5:00pm       Shower Hour
Shower, tidy up from the day – pick up any games/supplies

6:00pm       Dinner

7:00pm       Evening Meeting

• Family Announcements: logistics, schedules, “business”
• Announcements of recognition/appreciation
• Suggestion Box

7:30pm       Evening Activity
Reading quietly, listening to a podcast together … whatever your family routine is before bed!

Bedtime!
Quiet reading/drawing in bed and lights out! 😉

We hope this helps give some structure to your time together and helps everybody get ready for a fantastic summer at camp!

– Debbie and Eric

Why work at Akeela? It quite literally will change your life. For me, I was a soon-to-graduate Psychology major from LA when I applied to Akeela. I wanted a different and unique way to spend my summer, and once I got hired, I got nervous about what to expect. The second I arrived and was wholeheartedly embraced by staff, given a great week of training, then worked day-to-day with these kids, all my nerves and unsure thoughts flew out the window.

At Akeela, you work incredibly hard and face challenges, but you have so much support. Along with friends you immediately make during orientation, you have 3 other co-counselors living with you in your cabin, you have a head counselor to report to and assist when needed, and you have Debbie and Eric, the camp directors, who are more than willing to help with anything. You are living in rural Vermont without cell service all summer, which sounds like a turn-off. However, you are surrounded by gorgeous mountains, trees and fresh air and literally have to make connections with others instead of hiding behind your phone. You phone would also constantly distract you from being a good counselor; kids need attention, and I know that I highly benefited from not having my phone on me at work.

Akeela is truly a second home to me only after one summer. This community of amazing people are communicative, supportive, kind, and hilarious. The kids too are truly unique and admire everything you do, which is why I’ve always been drawn to summer camp. They are surrounded by other kids like them, and being given the opportunity to help them make connections, improve social skills, try new things, smile and laugh is seriously the best. I can’t go back to Akeela this summer, which breaks my heart, but I know for a fact that I’ll be back in the future. Apply today!! You won’t regret it.

Hi! I’m Taylor Whitchurch, a student teacher from the UK! The 2019 season was my 4th summer at Akeela, where I’ve been a swimming specialist, counselor and aquatics director. I’ve worked on both the Vermont and Wisconsin camps.

Away from camp I have recently completed my degree in Medical Sciences, and worked as a care support worker for adults with complex needs. I have a special interest in working with the ASD population, and have volunteered on a number of projects both at university and in my local community.

Before all of this came my Akeela experience. In 2015, my first summer, at the age of 19, I flew three and a half thousand miles away from my home and family to Boston. Summer camp is not a thing that we do in the UK, and I came with a number of preconceptions about what my experience would be. Long days by the pool, bare cabins and a relaxed atmosphere. Akeela was all of this. But it was also so much more. The community that we build at Akeela is something special. Every person feels supported, not only the campers but the councillors as well. The opportunities that I have been given at Akeela have allowed me to qualify as a lifeguard and develop as an educator and a leader within the community. It’s also allowed me to develop as a person. I am more empathetic towards those who think in a different way than I do, and have developed an appreciation of the amazing diversity that our campers display.

I tell people away from camp that my time at Akeela has been one of the defining experiences of my life. And it truly has. From discovering my future career path, networking with other professionals in the field and having just about the best time it’s possible to have, Akeela really has it all.

As someone whose passion is working with children with different abilities and having done so since high school, I knew that I wanted to continue working with these populations throughout my summer. I expected the typical summer camp experience — making friends, working with kids and maybe learning something about myself along the way. What I got from Akeela, however, was all of that and SO much more.

I’ve never been a part of such an inclusive, warm and welcoming community. Each day I felt inspired, supported and loved, not only by Debbie and Eric, but also my peers that I worked alongside for two months. I spent this summer learning from the most quirky, fun and free-spirited campers on the planet, while laughing harder, trusting deeper and allowing myself to be who I truly am as a person – someone I’ve been holding back on being for a very long time. I have Akeela to thank for every moment of that, so when I think back on all the moments from this past summer, I can’t help but get a bit emotional. While I was helping our campers, Akeela was helping me.

Akeela is so much more than just a summer camp, and so much more than just two months spent in the mountains of Vermont. It’s watching campers make friendships and develop social skills, and seeing those friendships reignited year after year. It’s late-night porch conversations when you feel everything you’ve done in a day is still just not quite enough. It’s reassurance that you’re doing an amazing job and that your campers do, in fact, really like you. Akeela is community and Akeela is home.

When I talk to new families about Camp Akeela, I’m often asked, “How do you teach social skills”? I think what they want to know is, “Who’s curriculum are you using”, or “What is the structure of your social skills groups”? We believe those questions don’t necessarily get to the root of what we’re doing at Akeela.

As a school counselor, I spent years leading “social skills groups” in my Middle School office with kids (many with a diagnosis of ASD or NVLD) who needed more social support. I believe the students enjoyed their time with me and their peers and they certainly had an opportunity to practice socializing with students who were in their grade. But, I’m not sure how well those learned skills really translated back to the field, the lunchroom, the class. What was really missing, were chances to give my students feedback in the moment and then an opportunity to practice using the advice I could give.

Social Skills at Camp Akeela

Camp – ANY good camp – allows for that. Camp provides kids with an opportunity to live with other children their age. They have to work on compromise, sharing, respecting the time and boundaries of their peers. If they’re at the right camp for them, they are meeting other children who want to connect with them and get to know them. The camp community allows campers to practice social skills. At an overnight camp that practice is 24/7 and includes less structured time in the bunk, meals and evening times.

At Akeela – this is our focus. When we created Akeela in 2008, we were intentional about creating as many opportunities as possible for children to connect, have fun AND get constant and consistent feedback from both staff and peers 24/7. They can then practice making use of the feedback they’re getting over and over while they’re at camp. THIS type of teaching is what “sticks” – it’s what transfers back to home and school and extracurriculars. Are “social skills groups” helpful? Sure. But camp is even MORE helpful – especially when the camp is specifically designed to provide kids with an opportunity to focus on their peer relationships and then practice making those connections even stronger. That’s what we do at Akeela.