Summer camp season is about to begin!

In just a few short weeks, many kids will be exiting school and some will begin a summer that includes mission trips, work camps, NTS Camp (if you’ve not seen this one, you have to check it out!), or other overnight, away from home, mosquito-infested experience.

And, although we hope they’re doing mostly analog things, many of them will have a smartphone to call home or text parents while they’re away.

(BTW, did you know you don’t have to give your child an iPhone? We’ve tested kid-friendly devices that you might want to consider.)

We’ve prepared three steps that will prepare you and your child for their adventure.

Prep for Summer Camp STEP ONE: Understand Camp Rules

Each camp has its rules for how technology is to be used during the experience. For example, Never the Same (NTS) is a large camp based in our town (with locations around the United States). NTS leaves it up to each youth pastor, recognizing that different churches approach technology differently.

As a parent, it’s your job to be on the same page so that there’s no confusion in the mind of your son or daughter. There should be alignment between home -> church -> camp, or if it’s a secular experience, alignment between home -> YMCA (for example).

Once you understand the rules, communicate them clearly to your son or daughter. Everyone at camp will appreciate hosting a group of kids who are clear on what’s expected of them.

Prep for Summer Camp STEP TWO: Talk About Awkward Things

Depending on your kid, maybe this is an opportunity to re-discuss important topics or use this as a chance to talk to them about them for the first time.

For example, is your child crystal clear on what pornography is and the simple steps to take if they’re exposed to it? Or, what if another kid at camp uses AirDrop to cyberflash your daughter? What are the rules for the phone’s camera while away? Can the phone go into the bathroom in whatever dorm or facility where they’re staying?

My son attends Summer Camp with Boy Scouts. When I drop him off in the woods with 400 other tween and teen boys, I remind him that he’s probably going to hear something we haven’t talked about, which is no big deal (don’t freak out – it’s a great way to build Digital Trust). And when I pick him up in a week, I’ll ask him to Google me.

Why? Because I care about them more than Google’s search. And I remind him of that! Here’s an Instagram post explaining the idea.

Prep for Summer Camp STEP THREE: Inspect and Monitor the Phone

Remember, every digital device belongs to you – the parent! This is our “parent-led ownership” principle. You have a right to pick up your child’s phone anytime and look at what’s on it. You can also ask them to walk through what’s on it.

While at camp, consider removing all social media and limiting the device to talk/text only. Make it a minimal device so that they get the most out of camp. Here are links to a few of our device set-up guides:

• Android 
• Chromebook
• iPhone (iPad, too)
• Kindle

The Device section of Protect Young Eyes covers parental controls for most major, internet-ready devices if you need steps for something else.

Would you like even more information to give you confidence? Try two more steps:

1. Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. About every 3 weeks, we’ll share what’s new, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.
2. Ask your questions in our private parent community called The Table! It’s not another Facebook group. No ads, no algorithms, no asterisks. Just honest, critical conversations and deep learning! For parents who want to “go slow” together. Become a member today!