Camp means your inner voice = unlocked

Dec 12th, 2024

The world is a noisy place. So, so noisy.

I won’t go through all the noise because the list is simply too long. But let’s just rock with a few things out there cluttering up the place, like:

Home, Work, School

Friends, Family

TV, Netflix

TikTok, Instagram

Spotify, Video Games

And, well, fill in like 50 things more of your own here

It’s not even the half of it.

Adults can’t manage all of this. Now, imagine you’re a kid.

It’s got to be unreal. Plus, you couple the noise part with being told what to do all the time, and where does that voice in their head even have a chance to speak up?

That voice is the one helping kids figure out who they are, what they want, how they make decisions, and how to just get about in the world.

It’s slipping away, which sucks, considering that voice is one of the most important skills kids need growing up. The world just isn’t letting it in.

Except, there’s one place where they can still access it. And if you’ve been reading this newsletter for even 30 seconds, you know what I’m going to say next.

Why Camp? Decision-Making and the Feedback Loop

Even with all of this noise, there’s still a place kids can go for a day, week, or even entire summer that’s a decision-making playground.

From the very moment they arrive, they’re faced with choices, big ones and small ones. Oh, and medium ones, too.

Which bunk am I taking?

Which other kid or kids look like they might want to play soccer, Magic the Gathering, or get on stage for the talent show?

Who should I sit next to at that first dinner?

It’s only the beginning. And at the risk of making this whole thing about the gazillion choices kids need their own inner voice for, it spreads everywhere, all over camp.

Arts & crafts or Gaga?

Swim or soccer?

Chill with him or hang out with her?

Join in with the crazy game the coolest counselor is running, or play with some Legos?

That’s only maybe the first morning.

These choices aren’t fleeting moments. Each one creates a feedback loop—a natural consequence helping them reflect and learn.

Maybe they skipped A&C and went straight for Gaga, only to realize their friends were all painting that day, and it sucked to miss it.

Or, on the other side, they chose archery over waterfront, figuring out they were actually crazy good with bows and arrows.

The same works for interpersonal interactions, which happen all day long, too.

This constant experience of choosing, doing, and reflecting, mostly without adult planning, helps build an internal compass—a real sense of what they value, enjoy, and prioritize.

Plus, at camp, they do it all in a safe, supportive environment built exactly (EXACTLY!) for this exploration without any judgment.

Mentorship Partnership

Look, adults mean well. They want the best for their kids. No doubt about it.

But are they mentors in the truest sense? Not really. Schools have teachers in mostly a one-size-fits-all environment. The teachers work their butts off, but school isn’t designed for connection. It’s designed for information.

Camps got this cool dynamic you won’t find many other places. In fact, I can’t think of any. If you can, please tell me where they are because I want to visit.

At camp, we get a group of counselors who aren’t sooooo much older than the campers. But they are adult enough to have some world experience and different views while also getting most of the references, understanding the language, and well, just being cool.

They’re there specifically to help campers reflect on their choices, challenge their thinking, and encourage them to try new things—all while making it clear they’re on the camper’s team.

Campers can look up to them in a way so much more accessible than those other environments. Schools aren’t a chance for this kind of mentorship. Home isn’t either. Those places are great for other things, just not this.

I’m going to write more about this later, from the counselor pespective and why it’s so valuable a job. But trust me, this relationship is unique only to camps.

Reflection And Reaction

Camps can get the quiet just right, too. Campfires, sharing stories in the cabin, just looking out over a field for even a few moments. Those moments are there.

And they’re paired with high-energy, hands-on experiences. It means kids don’t just “sit with their thoughts”; they actively create experiences that generate those thoughts.

They do. They pause. They hear their inner voice and then process what’s going on and why it matters.

Camps got something right. They’re timeless. Blending those ancient traditions (quiet reflection, inner peace) with modern energy (wildin’ out at a crazy night game).

Structure for guidance and reflection, freedom enough to grow on their own terms.

Again, find me another place that does it. I’m in. Does it exist? I don’t think so.

At camps, kids don’t get caught up in the noise. It’s gone. It’s all inner voice. The one that matters.

Your best job is to let them hear it.

You got this,

Jack