Getting Campers to do what you need them to is usually quite easy at camp.  Because camp is a special time and place, and because you, as a Counselor, play a special role in that, campers will usually happily agree to help out and do whatever is needed.  There are differences between how an 8 year old camper will respond and how a 13 year old camper will respond to the same request.  A wise Counselor will understand those differences and be prepared.  Also, as camp wears on and campers develop friendships, cliques will form, conflicts and alliances will develop and campers just plain get tired, things will change.  Here again a wise Counselor will understand those things and be prepared to use strategies that fit the situation.

What works and what doesn't:

1. Do the easiest thing first.  Quite often, all that is needed is for you to say something.  Most problems could be avoided if the one in authority stopped the misconduct with just a word when he saw it developing.  “John, that’s enough.  Stop, please,” will usually end the problem.
   

2. Another method used is the “Big Stick” method.  Basically this method says:  “I’m bigger than you, so you had better do what I say.”  This does work, temporarily, but it often creates bigger problems of rebellion, disrespect, and antagonism.

Young, athletic, male counselors have often used this method.  It seems to work because they see the boys responding.  The positive response may be an initial admiration of Mr. Big Guy, but when the Big Guy isn’t around, there is little respect.

So, even if you get good results, don’t do what you know is wrong just because it works for a while.

3. A third method, used by frustrated and immature counselors, is threat.  If you put the use of threats in the context of all else that has been taught herein, little room is left for them.

If you do make threats, keep these basic rules: 

• Always be prepared to carry them out, or else the camper will call your bluff.  

• Never threaten with cruel or radical punishment.  “Either shut up or I’ll stick your head in a toilet!”  Is that right?  

• Never threaten beyond your power to enforce.  The counselor does not have power to send a child home, spank, or deny meals.  So when do you use threats?  Perhaps a few examples would help clarify the principles.

The basic rule, though is this: never threaten--even if you try to do so in a good natured way.  In the long run YOU will always lose!

If things do get tough, some ways to handle it:

In a meeting or at a campfire council, two children will not stop talking to each other or making a disturbance:
Either move over and sit between them or lean over to whisper to them.  “You guys pay attention to Mr. Righttruth or you can have a special seat in the back with Mr. Firmhand”  (Yes, DO move them during the meeting if they continue.  No third and fourths and fifth warnings, please!)

On the playfield, Proud Pat is giving the others a hard time when they miss the ball.  
You call him to one side and tell him “Either you stop criticizing and cutting down the other players or you can sit with Miss Lovenoball on the sidelines.”  Later on, when he is sitting on the sidelines, use this as a counseling opportunity.

How to talk to your campers

One of most effective tools is the “counselor with camper talk.”  You talk to the camper as one person to another.  This assumes your respect and assumes he (or she) is going to carry responsibility.  Make sure to sit with the camper so that the two of you have good eye contact, and that you are sitting at the same level as the camper.  Don't allow yourself to be in a situation where you are "looking down" or "talking down" to the camper.  Avoid trying to do this when you are angry or rushed.  Make time to count to ten or take some deep breaths before beginning!

Discuss the reasons for the conduct and the natural consequences.  The key to success is your approach and your mental attitude.  You are working out a problem as an employer would do with an employee whom he trusted and respected.

Example:  Sue Slop is the one who makes her cabin lose points because her bed isn’t neat, and her things are not in order.  You pick a time when it is just you and she, alone.

“Sue, the other girls really want to get honor cabin tomorrow.  What do you think you can do to help?”  No doubt the others have made it quite clear that Sue Slop is ruining their cabin record.

“Let’s tackle this problem together.  How can I help you have the neatest bed in the cabin?”  Make it clear that you are WITH her, and not against her.  You also need to really teach her how to do some things, too.  Make it a fun project that you do together.

Children are children, and they act like it.  Much of their so-called misbehavior is only childishness.  Sometimes, rather than calling them on every move, just ignore their behavior.

In every camp the counselors very soon find the one or more child who is ALWAYS doing something wrong.  It seems they cannot even breathe right (it’s into someone’s face or “down your neck”).

If you were to correct this child, that is ALL you would do all day, every day.  For that child, establish basic and minimal boundaries and correct him every time these lines are crossed.  You might call him aside after one day (the first evening) and explain.  “This is a fine camp.  We do things differently.  We do not swear or tell dirty jokes.  Fighting isn’t a solution we use.  We do not hit others."   It is imperative that you NOT scold him or verbally walk all over him.  You are WITH him and want him “to have the best possible week, and this is the way to do it”.

For Older campers:

One cause of disciplinary problems with older campers is too much free time.  The solution is to have a camp program that is positively FULL of things to do.

• “Hey, the snack shop is opening in 10 minutes; let’s beat the other cabin there.”

• “I’ll give my dessert at supper to the first one to the dining hall.  Go!”

• “Let’s challenge the Omaha cabin to a game of soccer.”

• “Have you guys hiked to the maple grove yet?  We have 20 minutes, let’s go.”

For the younger campers, this method can often be used and used often on a small scale.

• “Billy, would you play Frisbee with Hank?”

• “George, help me put this cabin back in order, would you?”

• “I’ll challenge the winner at tetherball!”

• “Sally and Liz get the fire going.  Mary, lay out the food.  Julie, get more water.  And the rest of us will scout up wood.”

• “Would you find Uncle Heartful and invite him to eat with us tonight?”

If discipline in the form of punishment needs to be used, whether it’s just a word spoken or cooling off time in the corner of the dining hall, there are basic principles of discipline that need to be followed.