MEMORY BANK DEPOSITS

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! I had the good fortune to be visiting YMCA Camp Eberhart. Aimlessly enough I walked out on a pier and I was suddenly reminded of  summer days on a similar pier at Camp -- dropping a line in to catch a fish or waiting for my turn to water-ski. I don’t know exactly what brought back those memories. Maybe it was the smell of the water, or the small minnows I noticed swimming under the pier, but there they were as fresh as though it was just yesterday (and not 35+ years ago.)

"Have we added another lost generation?" asks author Marc Jacobs in a blog on Huffington Post this week.

This generation would rather text than talk," he laments. "They prefer to communicate online, ... with friends they have not actually met. They don't spend much time outdoors, unless adults force them into an organized activity.

His article continues as a ringing endorsement for camp to all that ails us.

When we experience a lesson (such as waterskiing or fishing) the tasks become authentic skills. Problem solving, analyzing and understanding are all by-products of the experience. When kids learn through doing, they are actively engaged in the process.

Northwestern University released a study revealing that children are spending more and more of their time consuming media such as television, video games, iPods, texting and Facebook, to name a few. While much of that could be justly called "learning" and technology is a structural part of modern society, report co-author Ellen Wartella noted the numbers suggest that young people are settling for a sedentary lifestyle and risk further exacerbating problems such as child obesity.

And watching is just not the same as doing.

Your child’s summer can be full of active experiences at the Y – all of which contain potential life lessons. We help your child discover, understand and try all sorts of activities, from swimming, sailing and astronomy to archery, horseback riding, arts & crafts and more.

Kids will share those experiences with friends and with their parents. As they reflect on their week at Camp, they are creating memories as well as processing their achievements. These are the deposits of happiness into their bank accounts. They develop connections to each other as well as their families. They build the confidence they will need when they are challenged to step outside their comfort zone. They will build the tools necessary to make good decisions and apply the values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility.

What are the experiences of childhood that your kids are depositing into their memory banks today? Will it be the tingly feeling in your hands when you hit the ball squarely? Or the way the meadow smells after the rain? Maybe it will be the rush of adrenaline when your child takes a leap of faith, from Coop's Tower. Perhaps it is the smell of a campfire and melting marshmallows that remind your kids that their stories are as important as those from Disney.

Summer is short. Don’t miss the chance to make wonderful memories!

Join us!