visiting day is a ZOO at my camp. it is 1 day, a saturday, smack in the middle of camp. here's how it goes:
we wake up at normal time, 7:25. we have a normal line up at the flagpole and then its down to the bunks for clean up, which doesn't take too long since most of it was done the day before. of course parents get to camp as early as possible, some as early as 8. there is a giant rope that they aren't allowed to pass. to prevent kids from going crazy and trying to look for their parents, in the past 2 years we have started having saturday morning services at about 9:00. everyone goes except for the PC girls. (its a PC privilege that they don't have to go). anyway we are in the social hall for services with all of the windows and doors closed so no one can look outside or inside. visiting day officially begins with the PC's walking to the canteen arm in arm (a long standing tradition) and cutting the rope, allowing the parents to gather around the social hall. then the girls are dismissed group by group. once everyone is dismissed most of the parents go up to their cars with their kids to get the million bags of food they have brought for them and set out their blankets for the picnic lunch. after that, there is an activity schedule for each age group to use as a guide for the parents, but most of the families don't follow it, they either go to boys side to be with their brothers or just go to a random activity, or just hang out on front campus. lunch is a barbeque, but most of the parents bring up food for their kids for lunch. after lunch the senior girls perform their group sing and the rest of the families just hang out. visiting day ends at 4:00 PM with a bugle asking the parents to please leave immediately. no campers are allowed to leave camp at any time during the day.
counselors' jobs on visiting day are to be at their activities if they are specialists and if they are general counselors, just walk around and talk to their campers' parents. they are not allowed to accept tips but they are allowed to accept non monetary gifts, which many parents bring. the groupheads' jobs are to be walking all around the camp and talking to any of their campers' parents that have questions or comments.
we don't have the issue with kids not having any visitors on visiting day. its almost unheard of for a camper not to have anyone come. some parents have arrived late before though, sometimes causing some tears. the bigger problem is the end of the day when it's time for the parents to leave. the older girls are usually glad to see their parents go, lol, but the younger ones tend to have more of a problem with it. once 1 starts to cry, they all start. the way we deal with it is making sure the parents leave quickly and getting the girls right back into camp. while the parents are leaving, the lower camp is supposed to be changing into bathing suits for general swim. after all of the parents are gone they get into group lineups immediately and go down to the lake. if necessary, the groupheads will have a water fight with the girls or jump into the lake with their clothes on to make them laugh. by the end of swim everyone is usually ok.
wow that was a book, i commend you if you read the whole thing!
