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It is natural—and quite common—for children to experience homesickness while they are away at summer camp. For most kids, this will be the first long period they have spent away from their homes and families. When you mix a little separation anxiety with the fear of being alone in an unfamiliar place, the stress can be enough to send even the bravest camper running for the phone. Fortunately, some advice you can help make your child’s camp experience more fun and less frightening.

Nip it in the bud: be prepared

Take baby steps. If your child is not used to spending time away from home, allow him or her to sleep over at a friend’s house or enjoy short stays with relatives before heading off to camp. The more independent a camper feels, the easier the adjustment will be.

It is important that your child take part in researching and choosing which summer camp he or she will attend. If your child has some say in the matter, then it becomes their responsibility to honor that decision—and to see it through to the end. Being involved during the planning stages also gives a child plenty of time to prepare for what lies ahead.

Let your child practice being independent before it is necessary. Teach them to wash a load of laundry, make the bed, or do the dishes. Have your child choose their own clothes and fix their own hair if these are new experiencest. The fewer obstacles your child has to overcome in a new environment, the more at ease he or she will be.

If you have the opportunity, visit the camp and take a tour of the grounds with your child. Show the camper where he or she will eat, sleep, and shower. Meet the director and counselors together. Familiarity breeds confidence, while uncertainty breeds fear and homesickness.

Let your child know that feelings of homesickness are natural and that they usually pass after a day or two. Teach them some coping strategies, such as letter writing, talking to a new friend or a counselor, or taking part in an activity. Homesickness usually occurs during downtime, when kids have time to dwell on what (or whom) they are missing.

Do the Right Thing

Pack something that is sentimental to your child. Let them bring a favorite stuffed animal, blanket or T-shirt (even if it is full of holes). Send some photos of the family and pets to put up at camp. These items can be soothing when anxiety strikes.

Send a letter or care package to camp before your child arrives. This will assure your child that you haven’t forgotten them. Continue to write and send short notes each day, keeping the topics very general. Don’t dwell on things that are going on at home—this could make a camper feel left out—and try not to focus on how much you miss your child, but rather on how much you love them.

Resist the urge to grab the car keys and run when your homesick camper calls. No parent likes to hear that his or her child is sad or upset, but realize that this is typically a passing feeling that your child will be able to overcome. Neither shame nor baby your child, but acknowledge their feelings and urge them to follow the counselor’s advice (they should be trained to deal with these situations).

Speak to the director or counselor yourself to this mental maladytry to gauge how upset your child is. Sometimes a child simply isn’t cut out to be a camper. If you realize that your child is extremely unhappy for an extended period of time, has stopped participating in activities, or is physically ill because of homesickness, allow him or her to come home—no one is benefiting in this case.