Chances are, they spend the majority of their time bickering over who gets to be in control of the remote, or, while traveling on your family vacation, you constantly hear the infamous “Mom, he/she won’t stop staring at me!” It’s no secret that siblings can get on each other’s nerves while spending 24/7 living under the same roof, but while at camp something about their attitudes changes.

Siblings take a few minutes out of their day, whether it is at the flagpole during line up or after dinner at free play, just to chat and catch each other up.  At first it’s about new friends, counselors, and which Wayne County teams they have made. As the summer progresses, conversations get a little more personal as they fill each other in on how well they did at their favorite activity or share new jokes and stories they’ve heard.  These interactions between siblings almost always end with a hug until they see each other at the next all camp activity.

Summer camp is a place that siblings transform rivalry into a different kind of relationship. They cheer each other on and proudly exclaim, “That’s my brother/sister!” Camp has a distinct set of memories different from those they share with their parents. At camp, there are traditions and values which children learn to appreciate at a young age. Having a sibling to share traditions and values makes them even more special. The thrill of seeing each other experience camp firsts and pass camp milestones also helps siblings learn to appreciate each other as individuals.

Summer camp is special to each child and being able to give your children that special bond that summer camp gives them is a great feeling for you too.