3 Ways Camp Stands By Parents

Sometimes I feel like I’m in a special club because I’m a parent. I don’t have a special handshake, and I don’t get to nod at a doorman who lets me pass into a special room. But I do get to share countless experiences and side conversations with other parents that seem to put us on the same level…and perhaps in the same club.

As you do your best to parent your children. We at Ridgecrest Summer Camps want to do our best to walk along side you, working with you rather than against you throughout your child’s adolescence. With some of our directors with as many as 35 years of Ridgecrest experience under their belt, it’s exciting to know that we have seen quite a few campers grow from tiny 6 year-olds, to college students pouring their lives into young kids. We have a unique opportunity to partner with parents for a lifetime.

So it is because of this unique role that we have been given, that we feel driven to continue our ministry to your family no matter what time of year it is. We have chosen to do this in a few ways.

1. Weekly Devotions – every Monday Morning we post a new camper devotion on our blog.
2. Parent Blog – We want to help equip you and put resources in front of you that can help answer questions along the way.
3. We are on Facebook. It may seem strange, but we feel that our presence on Facebook has more of an impact than we originally anticipated. As campers see us on a regular basis online, they are reminded of what they learned at Camp…and ultimately, reminded of Jesus.

Thanks for what you do in the lives of your kids and the kids in your community. Please let us know if we can ever do anything for you.

Phil Berry
Assistant Director
Parent of Piper and Lily Berry

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Crestridge, parent resourses, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

“Conversation Starters” Are Coming…

As a parent, we have very unique roles with our kids. Especially while they are young, we get to talk to them more than anyone else. And then as they grow up, unfortunately, we slowly lose this privilege.

So no matter what stage of childhood our kids are in, we can always use a little cheat sheet to help have those important conversations. Some of these “Conversation Starters” may be perfect for you, and some may not be as beneficial the day you read them. Regardless, we plan to post a new Coonversation Starter about once a month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month.

Each post will give a separate question for Preschoolers, for Children, and for Students, all worded so that they can understand it. And we hope that this will be just one more way that we can partner with you as you raise your amazing kids! Thanks for letting us be a part of what the Lord is already doing in your family.

Any questions or concerns? I’d love to hear from you, one parent to another.

Phil Berry
Assistant Director
Parent of Piper and Lily

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Conversation Starters, parent resourses, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Talking to your kids | Leave a reply

Bullies Go Digital

As Ridgecrest Summer Camps does it’s best to partner with you as parents, we want to continue to put interesting and helpful articles online for you to view at your convenience…

As bullies go digital, parents play catch-up!

“Desperate to protect their children, parents are floundering even as they scramble to catch up with the technological sophistication of the next generation…” Read More online

Although this New York Times article is fairly long, it is eye opening.

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Bullies, internet safety, parent resourses, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

What do I need to do to protect my kids from inappropriate sites?

As a parent today, computers surround our children. I have a computer in my house that we are teaching our kids how to use…even as young as 4.  Our children will never know a world without this powerful tool. And it is because this tool is so powerful, that we as parents need be aware of the risks that are online. We welcome you to watch this very short video that poses a few questions that may help you begin to form a plan of how to protect your own kids in your home. We at Ridgecrest Summer Camps want to continue to partner with you as you continue to do your best to raise your own kids.

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged internet safety, parent resourses, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

As a Dad, I needed this…

As a father if 2 little girls, one of which is going through a stage that tries our patience as parents, this was a book that offered great words of wisdom when raising our kidos. Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel is a book worth reading. Although I wouldn’t limit my reading seeking parenting advice to this one book, I was glad I read it. I’ve heard that lots of folks enjoy the Video Study, although I’ve never looked at it. In the end, if it’s time for another book, then check out the links above. Enjoy!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Book Recomendations, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Follow Camp Ridgecrest on Twitter or Facebook!

Did you know that we update Parents, Alumni and Friends on Twitter and Facebook almost every day of the summer? You can find out what Camp-Wide OAs are going on that day, what a specific tribe might be doing, how many folks got tapped out and who passed the Little Chief test, or even what the Sockwar Theme was this session! If you wish you could take Camp home with you when you leave, then make sure you either become a Fan of the Camp Ridgecrest Facebook page or start following Camp Ridgecrest on Twitter! Follow the links above to join us! And enjoy a taste of Camp back home….

Also, if you are an alumni, check out the Camp Ridgecrest Alumni Facebook Page

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10 Summer Camp Prep Tips!

Parents!

Summer is just around the corner! As you get ready to send your camper for the best few weeks of their year, we would like for you to keep a few things in mind. Below are 2 videos that provide you with 10 excellent tips that will help you and your camper prepare for their stay at Camp Ridgecrest for Boys or Camp Crestridge for Girls. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to call us or shoot us a quick email. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you soon!   800-968-1630 or rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com

Ron, Phil and Sharon

Part 1:

Part 2:

We hope that this was helpful! We look forward to seeing you soon…

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

“Guy Land”… some insight into your boy’s adolescent journey…

This is an excellent article from Fuller Youth Institute that gives great insight into “Guy Land,” the world that your boys grow up in. It also offers some suggestions for how to walk with them through Guy Land. Having worked closely with boys in middle school and high school for the past 10 years, I find this article to be right on target. This is the adolescent boy world. If this is news to you, then I encourage you to read the entire article, and perhaps even take a closer look into your son’s day-to-day life. Who is he spending time with? What are they doing? What do they really talk about? And who is leading them into the rest of their life? Are they leading themselves? Or is there an loving, caring adult walking beside them through these crucial years of transformation? Enjoy the article and please feel free to call / comment / or email us here at Camp with any questions or concerns…

Click this link for read more:  http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/2009/08/just-guys/

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Guy Land, parent resourses, raising boys, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

What to Share with Camp about Your Child

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Preparing for Camp, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

The only way he can get to camp….

Ridgecrest Scholarships from hgriffin on Vimeo.

Did you know how easy it is to help another child experience camp this summer….or next summer? Take 5 minutes to meet a few current campers… Or you can visit www.ridgecrestcamps.com/give.

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