Keeping Camp Kind: Bullying Prevention at Camp
Part of the magic of camp is creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and everyone is welcome. Our staff and volunteers work hard to ensure that Camp Casco is a safe space for all campers. There is no room for bullying at any of our camps. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying behaviors at camp, and campers who cannot abide by this policy will be asked to leave camp immediately.
At Camp Casco, we encourage kindness, respect, and positivity through a points and reward system, through cabin team-building exercises, and through our camp counselors, who serve as positive role models at all times. But we can’t do it alone— we ask for your help in ensuring that the camp remains a safe space for all. Here are some ways to help us prevent bullying before it starts:
Empathy: Teach your child the importance of empathy. A child who can understand what it may feel like to be bullied and understand and regulate their emotions is less likely to bully a child and more likely to be courageous when they see others being bullied.
Set the example: Be a good example of kindness and leadership. Your kids learn a lot about relationships from watching you. When you speak to another person in a hurtful or abusive way, you teach your child that bullying is ok.
Create healthy habits: Create anti-bullying habits as early as kindergarten. Coach your children on what not to do—hitting, pushing, teasing, and being mean to others. And teach your children what to do—practicing kindness, empathy, fair play, and turn-taking are critical skills for positive peer relations.
Talk about it: Discuss what bullying means. Not all mean behavior is bullying. Bullying is aggressive behavior by a child or group of children who take advantage of their power to hurt or intimidate others. It is deliberate and repeated. It may be verbal abuse (mocking, name-calling, threatening remarks), physical abuse (hitting, pushing), social rejection (excluding), or humiliation. Talk to your kids about the differences between teasing, rudeness, and bullying.
Set the standard: Tell your kids in no uncertain terms that it’s not normal, okay, or tolerable for them to bully, to be bullied, or to stand by and watch other kids be bullied.
Encourage your kids to speak up: Encourage your child to come to their counselor. Our counselors work hard to build close bonds with campers throughout the week so children feel safe coming to us with any problem. You can help your child feel comfortable coming to us with any issues by reminding them that we are here to protect them and ensure their well-being at all times. If your child has problems with other children, please encourage them to tell the camp counselor they feel most comfortable with immediately. We take bullying seriously and will investigate any complaints of bullying immediately. Knowing about bullying behavior can help us address the problem before it escalates.
Bullying prevention takes a village, and we appreciate your help in keeping Camp Casco safe and fun for every child. Have more questions? Contact our team here.
We can’t wait to see you at camp!
