Conversation Starter: Disobedience

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Conversation Starters
How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together.

For Preschoolers:
Talk about how we all want things our way. Define disobedience. Explain that disobedience and wanting our way is not good. When we still try to get our own way, even when we’ve been told no, it makes God unhappy.

For Children:
Ask your child to remember a time when they disobeyed you. Explain that disobedience to God is called sin. We all sin, but forgiveness is available from God. Teach them to pray and confess their sins to God.

For Students:
Talk about times you rebelled against your parents or another authority. What were the consequences? Encourage your child to understand that sin is what separates man from God. Lead them to understand the necessity of confession and repentance.

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged 2 Chronicles 7:14, Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Conversation Starters, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Bird Feeder

Summertime is quickly approaching which can only mean one thing: campers will be here in just a few short weeks! The flowers are blooming, grass is green and the birds are chirping. We thought it would be a great idea to do a craft to get everyone in the summer spirit. This month’s craft is a homemade bird feeder.

Supplies:
– Tin can (soup can)
– Paint
– Paint brush(es)
– String, ribbon, twine
– Bird seed

Directions:
1. Grab an old soup can and wash it out really well. Make sure to peel off the label and try to get as much of the sticky residue off as you can.

2. Once the can is dry enough to paint, let your campers paint whatever they want! Parents, you can paint your own can and show off your creative side too! Enjoy this time with your kids. Make sure to let the first coat dry before you add decorations like stripes or polka dots.

3. You can either tie string, ribbon, or twine around the can to hang it or you can poke a hole in the bottom and tie string through it to make it more stable.

4. Scoop some bird seed into the can and make sure not to fill it too full.

5. Go outside and hang it from a tree branch. Enjoy watching the birds eat out of your new feeder!

We hope you enjoy this craft with your campers. Send us a picture of your new bird feeder on our Facebook page or to rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com. See you soon!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Summer | Leave a reply

Upcoming Summer

Well, it’s camp time once again!  We are so excited for the upcoming summer.  I’m sure that you, as parents, are excited as well for your child to be coming to camp.  For some of you, especially our first time families, you are probably feeling a little anxious, not knowing quite what to expect for your child, or how they will survive at camp without you.

Rest assured, they will make it through, and most of them will thrive in our camp community!  Camp is one of the few places where children can begin to learn a sense of independence, and learn that they can make it on their own for a brief time.  They also learn a sense of inter-dependence, building friendships with other campers from all over the country, all under the supervision of caring and loving young adults.  It will be difficult for some of you to leave your child with us, possibly being the first time you have ever separated for more than a night or two.   Realize that you are doing them a favor by providing them with the opportunity to rely on themselves, adults other than you, and God.

We are excited about what God has in store for each of our campers and staffers this summer.  Thank you for entrusting us with your children.  We look forward to their being with us soon!  God bless!

Ron Springs
Director, Ridgecrest Summer Camps

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Ron Springs, Summer | Leave a reply

Baby Sitters and Body Guards

What do the following positions have in common?

Babysitter.

Body Guard.

Manager.

Safety Net.

Advisor.

If you’re a parent, you’ve held them all or you will by the time your children dive from the nest. One day they will pay for their own phone lines and car insurance, schedule their own dentist appointments, drive through and pay for their own take-out, and do laundry in their own dorm rooms or apartments.

Read more …. from crosswalk.com

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, parenting, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Should I Be Sending My Children to Camp

An interesting article from Michael Thompson Ph.D

Some six million children in the United States are preparing psychologically to go away to sleepaway camp. Whether these departing children are camp veterans or nervous rookies, they are mentally rehearsing being away from mom and dad, their comfortable beds, their pets, favorite meals and, of course, their beloved iPhones, Facebook and video games.

During the winter their parents made the decision — and found the money — to make it possible for their kids to leave their families and their comfortable homes so that they could spend a week or two or four in a rustic, more-or-less uncomfortable cabin getting bitten by mosquitoes. They will live with a bunch of other kids, some of whom are fantastic, others quite annoying. They will eat a balanced diet of grilled cheese sandwiches and Fudgesicles with the occasional corn dog for good measure. They will play fun but aimless games like “Capture the Flag” and sit around campfires watching hilarious, dumb skits that almost no one remembers two days later (except the authors, of course). They will master skills such as archery and kayaking, horseback riding and waterskiing, none of which will impress their varsity coach or their AP Bio teacher when they return to school.

While the campers are messing about in the woods, many of their peers will be attending summer school or specialized skills programs. Their responsible, if sometimes Tiger-ish, moms and dads will be investing their money in their children’s future differently, sending them to one-week soccer and lacrosse programs, SAT prep courses and unpaid internships designed to polish skills, boost scores and impress college admissions officers. Instead of spending three weeks at an all-around camp, these children will be focused on skill-building, sometimes in three different specialized programs to which their parents drive them every day (allowing time for that all-important debrief in the car going home).

Which set of parents has it right? Or more to the point: Does an overnight camp experience still make sense in this competitive, resume-building world? From this psychologist’s point of view, the answer is a resounding YES. I believe that children develop in profound ways when they leave their parents’ house and join a camp community.

Learning to sleep away from home is, of course, a critical step on the way to independence. Part of the challenge is beating homesickness, which may be hard for some children, and which, by definition, your parents cannot help you do. Kids know they have to do this sooner or later. As my son once remarked with horror, “If you can’t learn to sleep away from home, you have to live with your parents for the rest of your life.” But beyond that, there are things that, as a parent, you cannot do for your children, as much as you might wish to. You cannot make them happy (if you try too hard they become whiners); you cannot give them self-esteem and confidence (those come from their own accomplishments); you cannot pick friends for them and micro-manage their social lives, and finally you cannot give them independence. The only way children can grow into independence is to have their parents open the door and let them walk out. That’s what makes camp such a life-changing experience for children.

Finish the Article by clicking here…

by Michael Thompson Ph.D
Author “Homesick and Happy”

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Just for Parents, parent resourses, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, sleepaway camps, summer camp | Leave a reply

Conversation Starter: Let Your Heart Be Broken

Jeremiah 8:4-13,18–9:1
join God in His concern for the moral/spiritual condition of others

Conversation Starters

How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers
What makes you sad?

What does it feel like to be sad?

How can you be nice to people who are sad (and broken hearted)?

For School-Age
Ask you children what makes them sad and how it feels to be sad?

Invite your children to discuss what it means to have compassion and a heart that is broken for the needs of other people.

How can we as a family reach out and care for and serve the broken hearted?

For Students
Who are the people you know who have experienced heartache and a broken heart?

How do you care for someone and serve someone who has experienced great pain and loss?

What are the things that break your heart and cause you to feel great compassion? How do you think God feels about those things?

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged 18–9:1, Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Jeremiah 8:4-13, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Message Boards

It is finally starting to turn warmer here at camp! Flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are getting their leaves back. Spring only means one thing: it’s almost time for camp! We are excited that camp is right around the corner. Our first staffers will arrive in about two weeks.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself always looking for a place to write down a reminder to myself or a note to someone else. Sticky notes are great, but they are pretty small. I found these ideas on Pinterest the other day when I was researching message boards. They are both fairly easy and quick to make. There are tons of possibilities on how to decorate them. I’ll show you how I did it, but it would be fun to see how your campers decorate their own!

Supplies for Chalkboard Tray:
– Tray (Dollar Tree $1)
– Chalkboard paint (Joann $6.99)
– Any decorations you want to add (ribbon, bow, etc.)

The first step is to paint the tray, or you could use an old picture frame, with the chalkboard paint. You can tape off the area if you want or paint the whole thing. Let your campers be creative! I used black paint, but they sell all different colors or you could look up a recipe on how to make your own chalkboard paint!

You will want to make sure that the paint dries completely before adding decorations or trying to write on it. It took two coats for mine and I let it dry over night. I added a bow at the top but there are endless possibilities. You could also use stickers or paint your name on it.

Supplies for Magnet Board:
– Cookie sheet (old or new)
– Fabric
– Mod Podge

For this project you can use an old cookie sheet or you can buy a new one. You’ll want to make sure you don’t cut the fabric too small. You can either wrap the fabric around the whole cookie sheet or you can just put the fabric in the inside of it. I chose to glue it to the inside of it. If you want the cookie sheet edges to be a different color then go ahead and paint or spray paint the whole cookie sheet before you glue the fabric to it.

Once you have measured and know how you want it to look glue the fabric to the cookie sheet. I didn’t use adhesive spray because I had Mod Podge already. I used a foam brush and painted the Mod Podge on the inside of the cookie sheet. Again, there are tons of options for decorating this message board. You can add some cork board to the bottom of it so you can use push pins or you could use chalkboard paint to be able to write on it. Since cookie sheets are magnetic you can even use your camp bubble magnets!

Both of these are great options for a place to write notes to your family or reminders to yourself!  You can also add holes in the top and hang it on your camper’s bedroom door! Send us a picture of your camper’s message boards! We love to see your projects.

See you soon!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

When Kids Lie

Just yesterday morning, it was a Monday, we were making sure lunches were packed and teeth were brushed before Piper and I rushed out the door to take her to school. I was quickly walking into the kitchen when I stopped at the door and my eyes locked with the eyes of my youngest daughter, Lily. She was caught “red handed” pouring her breakfast into the trash can. While I fought back the smile, I just stood and stared at her. She knew right away that she was busted. Her plan wasn’t hard to figure out… quickly pour out my cereal, leave the empty bowl on the table, tell Mom and Dad that I had eaten it all. Peace of cake.

I am aware, by the way, that this is a “little lie” and not a big deal. But somehow it was significant. This was one of the first times Lily had bold-faced-lied to me, or had at least planned to lie to me on purpose. And I couldn’t be happier how it played out. Catching your kids in a lie is precious, especially if we can catch them before they get too old, and it becomes one of their habits.

Plus, let’s be honest, kids beginning to lie to us isn’t all bad. They are starting to think for themselves…to make their own decisions… and to realize that Mommy and Daddy don’t know everything and don’t see everything. This is a good step to growing up!

So what do you do? How do you react to some of their first lies? Its a challenging question with lots of right answers, so here is what I did. I made a bid deal out of the lie. Who cares about the cereal, but the lie is the thing to focus on. There were 3 things I stressed when I sat on the floor to talk with Lily, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

1. In a very calm and loving tone I wanted Lily to know how sad it made me that she would lie to me. Oh, how it hurt my feelings that she wanted to tell me something that wasn’t true. I probably tried to say this same thing in 3 or 4 different ways to make sure she understood that we did not want her to lie…ever.

2. The second thing I wanted Lily to know was that she could always tell me anything. I would always listen and help her. She doesn’t need to be afraid to tell Mom or Dad the scary or hard things. We won’t turn our backs on her. We love her.

3. The last thing I wanted Lily to know was that not only do we love her, but Jesus loves her too, even more than we do! And Jesus can forgive her just like Mom and Dad.

Simple I know. Nothing ground breaking. But if we aren’t intentional, we end up telling our kids all kinds of stuff, especially in moments of frustration.

Do you have any comments or words of wisdom about when your kids lied to you? Any great stories? What about when kids get older? Comment below…

Phil Berry
Ridgecrest Summer Camps

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Just for Parents, kids lie, parent resources, Phil Berry, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

How Your Teen is Wired

Parents,
Here are some tangible ideas to help you connect with your teen… Don’t try to make the conversation too serious. Enjoy this article from Focus on the Family by Joe White, Larry Weeden

Is your teen on the track to a meaningful future? Are you finding out what a joy it can be to help make the most of how God has wired him or her?

Many of us want to help our teens dream big, fulfilling, God-honoring dreams. But how do we do that?

The first step is to understand the great experiment known as your teen. In all of human history, there’s never been another person with your teen’s exact mix of God-given personality, talents, interests and spiritual gifts. As the two of you get to know that unique wiring through self-tests like the ones in the book Wired by God, you’ll start to see which kinds of dreams might make a good fit.

Your Teen’s Basic Bent

Here are some questions you can use anytime to find out how God has wired your young person:

• “What really drives you?”
• “What’s the most fun you’ve ever had helping someone else?”
• “What dreams do you think God has given you?”
• “What can you do that most people can’t?”
• “What ability would you most like to develop? Why?”
• “If God hired you for a summer job, what would you hope it would be? Why?”

And this one from Doug Fields, a youth pastor: “If you could design a specific way to serve God and knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?”

Remember that your purpose is to listen and learn, to better understand and appreciate your teen’s uniqueness. This is not the time for lectures and advice. Figuratively speaking, you need to have big ears and a small mouth, tough skin and a tender heart.

Another way to learn by questioning is to talk with others in your teen’s life: teachers, youth group leaders, coaches, school counselors, Scout leaders, Sunday school teachers, parents of close friends. Ask what they’ve observed about your child’s likes and dislikes, interests and passions, abilities and aptitudes.

Often these people will confirm your own observations. Sometimes, though, they’ll describe a side of your teen that you hadn’t noticed — or offer an insight you’d overlooked.

Your Teen’s Interests and Passions

Here’s a way to help your teen pinpoint his or her interests and natural abilities. It’s based on “The Vision Quest,” a tool developed by Tim Sanford, a counselor at Focus on the Family who works with a lot of young people.

Give your teen these instructions:

On a piece of paper, list the things you’ve done since the fourth grade. We’re talking about academics, sports, social events, the arts, student government, hobbies, interaction with family and friends, personal adventures, youth activities, socials, special events, camps, worship, leadership, volunteer work, mission trips, “helping out,” clubs, service projects, job duties, volunteer or assigned tasks, and chores.

You don’t have to compile your whole list at once. Allow two or three weeks, adding to it as new memories come to mind. If you don’t know whether to include something in the list, go ahead and put it down anyway.

Now give each activity a “positive” or a “negative” rating. How did it turn out? How did it affect you?

After several days, pull your worksheet out and think again about the events to which you gave a negative value. Look for patterns. For example, if events connected with mechanical things (fixing the car, building something, helping with props at the school play) consistently ended in disaster, you’re probably not the mechanical type.

Now move to the positive side of the worksheet. Ask yourself the questions below as you look over those events.

• “Is there a pattern or anything these events have in common?”
• “Are some of the activities things I’d like to pursue more?”
• “How can I begin doing more of these kinds of activities?”
• “What kinds of qualities, talents, character traits and skills do these activities require?”
• “Do I have some of those qualities and traits?”
• “Are any circumstances or events missing from my worksheet? If so, what are they, and why might they be missing?”
• “Are there any activities I’ve never done before, but I’d like to try?”

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Focus on the Family, parenting, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Conversation Starters: Make No Excuses

Jeremiah 1:4-14,17-19
no excuses for when God calls

Conversation Starters

How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers
God made you. What are some of the good things about you?

What are some of the things you see and hear that God made?

How can God use you to help someone else

For School-Age
What are some of your strengths, the things you do well?

How might God use those strengths?

What do you do when you don’t feel like you can do something well?

What are ways you see God use people’s weaknesses?

For Students
What does it mean to be called by God?

What are some ways God uses believers to serve Him and others even with their weaknesses?

Have you ever sensed God calling you to do something or to serve in some way? How did you respond?

What do you think is the biggest excuse people give for not following God’s call?

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged 17-19, Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Jeremiah 1:4-14, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply