Dear Mechanchim, After visiting my children in camp this past visiting day, a theory I had for some time has been proven right, again. Camp should be an all-year event.
And before you jump and say I’m crazy, hear me out.
We know this generation is the probably the most challenging for Chinuch than it has ever been. Be it technology or other challenges, our children – and parents – are faced with many challenges. The challenges in turn, in many situations, are causing children and teenagers to go off. The numbers are staggering. And the tragic outcomes we are hearing far too often, are more shocking than staggering.
It got me thinking. Many of these children are just getting ‘burnt out’.
I’ve seen boys and Bachurim in school and Yeshivah throughout the year. Yes, they’re Baruch Hashem Shteiging. But something is missing. And that’s the Chiyus. Yet, in camp, the same boys and teens are different people. They are full of Chiyus. Not just with playing sports. They are completely transformed.
So some will immediately say, “of course, it’s only 8 weeks a year and it’s exciting.”
Exactly. It’s exciting.
Why are we not focusing more on giving the children a Chiyus in what they do? Of course Learning is important, but what about making them excited to Learn? What about having officials sports or leagues during the year to give them a healthy outlet and fun competition, which will help them Learn better? What about a ‘night activity’ which encompasses exciting trivia questions and contests for example – again, with a focal point on Learning? What about periodic talent contests to bring out the many hidden talents our children possess?
It’s not conventional? We’re afraid of being different? Okay, and is today’s generation conventional?
No, I’m not a Rav or a Mechanech or anyone with a fancy title, but rather a regular father in business and observing the system from the outside. And I strongly feel we need to adjust and cater to the needs of the children, and give them the tools they desperately need to infuse happiness and Chiyus into future Yiddish generations.
Thank you,
T.H.
Lakewood.
(TLS welcomes your letters and opinions by submitting them to [email protected])
3k/Mo Per Child x 12. Easy!
Maskim!!!!!!!
OMG we were just discussing this my son who has struggled through out his year was beaming yesterday truly loving camp when all kids are all on the same level learning is non pressure and healthy sports with other activities !!!! thank you to the most amazing camp staff yes the above is SO true
Agree!
Nail on the head !!! But the system will never change
i agree. Look at Rabbi Bender’s Darchei Torah, there’s a vocational program there that the students can elect to be part of. Has even a single yeshiva in Lakewood even attempted to initiate a similar program?
I DONT THINK THE WRITER IS SERIOUS ABOUT ACTUALLY SENDING OFF HER CHILD TO CAMP ALL YEAR ,JUST THAT CHADURIM AND SCHOOLS SHOULD MAKE THE STUDENTS LEARNING EXPERIENCE INTERESTING AND WITH GESHMAK..TAKE SOME CAMP IDEAS AND PLACE IT IN A SCHOOL SETTING..THE KIDS SHOULD HAVE A CHAISHICK TO LEARN AND NOT BE BOMBARDED WITH TESTS AND TESTS THAT CAN LITERARLY SCREW UP THESE POOR CHILDREN-IM SURE THATS NOT WHAT SARA SHNIUR HAD IN MIND……….! AND BTW WOULD BE SOOOOO MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL THAT VOCATION SHOULD BE INSTEAD OF ALMOST 3 FULL MONTHS THE END OF THE YEAR-EVERY FEW MONTHS 2 WEEK VOCATION OR SO TO GIVE A BREAK AND A CHAISHICK TO WANT TO CONTINUE WITH TESTS ETC..LIKE SOME PLACES DO FOR INSTANCE IN AUSTRALIA….JUST MY THOUGHT,ANYONE WITH ME ?
This idea is very nice in theory, but there are many working parents and a 2 week vacation every few months won’t work for them as they can’t take off. For many parents, midwinter is even too much (wait till midwinter time and someone will post a letter against the idea of vacation…)
They should have a extracurricular schedule for a day or two every few months- IN SCHOOL, DURING SCHOOL HOURS, where the kids can clear their minds and enjoy something different
I could maybe hear this for elementary school age children. Although I agree for high school age also, I do feel that a yeshiva trains a person for life. If it’s camp the whole year and we never train our buchrim to keep plowing even though they are burnt out, how will they cope when they are burnt out in an office making parnassah? Maybe the same way yeshivas should have a system the bosses should also have a system for burnt out people. But I definitely agree with the fact that each individual has to be dealt with as an individual not necessarily forced into a cookie cutter mold and yes to train burnt out accordingly
FIRST we need to stop being dysfunctional with our deeply ingrained cycles of Work the bone off, then vacation, burn the midnight oil, then vacation, etc. Is that why we are on this world? To overwork? To vacation?
Then the schools think they are preparing our kids for the “real world” by overworking them. Then giving a rediculously long 10 week vacation. No! They are just starting the dysfunction earlier!
I totally agree with the letter writer. The system used today in local schools is outdated. It is time to update. It is time to change.
Another reason why official leagues and night activity etc are good, is the following –
Kids who don’t excell in learning, will have an opportunity to excell elsewhere. This will save alot of kids from feeling like failures.
I think it’s the parents cop out to send of kids for ten months it’s just a way to transfer your obligations so you can do what you want instead of realizing that your kids are a mirrored view of yourself to see what you need to fix
H you are A Million % correct. We need to tweak the system. It will eventually happen. Some one will just start such a mosad and it will take off. Probably will be a regular fellow who has a big heart.
Good points Just one problem Who will be the counslors They need to go back to their respective Bais Medrash and I don’t think you will say let them be in camp all year too They definitely need to be learning more than an hr or two a day
So I agree with the other comments that say to implement camp Ruach in the Yeshiva system
May we only Shep Nachas from all our children!
This option already exists although not in a frum environment. Millennials have been trying this for the last 20 years. So has it been successful? Today’s young adults according to recent studies are not able to navigate the real world, are stressed by every day decisions, and are suffering from high levels of anxiety and depression.
Wow your so right I’ve been a counselor for many years and boys came over to me and told me they gained so much over the summer more then they gain all year in school so though camp all year is not the best idea but at least the schools and mesiftas should relax a bit !!!
@chesky I don’t think the parents are trying to ship their kids off. They just want to see their kids happy (which they do see while they are in camp) also environment plays a huge roll in a kids actions, personality…. if it were all mirror image all kids (even in HUGE families) would be doing the exact same thing – which we all know is 100% not the case.
#14
I beg to differ, the millennials who don’t try to fit into the “old box”
actually do quite well financially and have a better quality of life than some of us do.
That’s no to say they don’t have their own set of challenges, but they don’t have ours.
There is already a old school in town whose motto is learning with geshmak (as well as derech eretz, middos tovos and excellence in Torah and secular studies).
The reason there are so many positive responses is because you are all baalei batim who don’t understand chinuch al pi torah in the least bit Hu reiya you are all on the internet. I know you are going to say why are you on the internet, that’s irrelevant for this conversation, Grow up and think about Har Sinei, you were all there’ what would Moshe Rabeinu say?
To take this idea further, it should be THE REBBI OR TEACHER to be the counselor of extracurricular activities. They should get extra training to build social skills and team camaraderie. They are much more suitable to facilitate social interactions than our teenage counselors. Unfortunately, many kids do not get their needs met with the camp setup due to the limited experience of the young counselors. Schools should stop complaining about social issues and instead invest more in supervised play by ADULTS.
Yes there is one old school that doesn’t make the kids crazy and the kids who don’t do well feel good about themselves too. I do disagree about camp a whole year cuz they would get bored of it. Its exciting but after a certain amount of time it can be too much. Kids sometimes need structure and normal bedtime.
Let’s call it what it is. Camp is all about the children! Schools and Yeshiva’s are unfortunately too many times about the image and prestige of the schools. It is so sad but it is true. Each school needing to outfrum and outwork the next school because of what others may say about THEM! Things would look a lot different today if our mosdos would be doing what is best for the CHILDREN!
What’s wrong with smiling? What’s wrong with being normal? What’s wrong with being nice to everyone? Schools used to be a nice mix of different types of children. Just like a healthy bunk in Camp. Today, if you’re not an exact copy of everyone else in your class you are out in the street. So….yeah…Let’s be more like Camp.
I agree my 16 year old son loves to learn but loves every minute of camp.
Yes the time has come to change!!!!
We all seem to agree.
There should be regular learning in the morning with school camp, your child does have to learn they can’t just play but they also SHOULD have fun no your children are not r chaim kanievsky who can’t play but just has to sit and learn 24 /7 but they’re also not.someone who you want to go off the D that will never learn
Hey! What about a camp foe mothers and fathers..someone will need to work out the details but wouldnt it be great to get a geshmak camp atmosphere instead of making laundry and supper?!?!?
On a more serious note..children become teens who become the next generation of moms and dads who will need to know that life isnt camp…life is working to be better and to be a contributing member of society. Taking vacation doesn’t mean that vacation becomes every day life.
What about something that will mold teenagers into productive, ehrlich, and fine members of Klal Yisroel. While not a camp atmosphere in the least, this Yeshiva shows how you should serve Hashem in whatever you do, when learning or working or talking to your future wife and kids. At the same time you have the opportunity to be trained in one of the hottest field today so you can support your family bkavod ubederch mutar.
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