Summer Camp: FREE Service to Help Parents find the Best Camp for their Child

Believe it or not, NOW is the time to start your summer camp search.

Especially if you are interested in teen travel camps, they can fill up very fast.

Not sure where to start, or what is available?  South Florida is home to Camp Finders!  Though they have assisted families thoughout the country, they are located here and know our community firsthand.

Since 1994, Camp Finders® has personally visited approximately 175 overnight camps and various teen programs. During this time period, Camp Finders™ has been placing children in sleep away camps and in the following teen programs: teen tours; wilderness camps & outdoor adventure; college enrichment; community service; sailing, SCUBA, & marine biology programs; foreign language programs and more.

Camp Finders encourages parents to think about the following questions when considering their child's summer experience:

*What type of community does the camp try to create? (this is an important question)
*What is the size of the camp?
*Is the camp more on the competitive or non-competitive bent?
*Is there a religious focus with the camp?
*How does the camp handle new campers, cliques and bullying?
*What is the communication policy for parents and their children?
*Connected with the communication policy, how do camps handle homesickness?
*What is the level of instruction in most of the activities (experienced staff/teachers)?

 Camp Finders® is a free service which matches children ages 6-17 with appropriate sleepaway camps and teen programs.Click here for your free information request.

Sue Scheff: Sunscreen Concerns - Is Your Sunscreen Safe?

Especially in South Florida, sunscreen is a staple in most homes.  Summer is a time when many families pack our beaches and have fun in the sun.  The latest new research from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) show that some popular brands of sunscreen may actually accelerate skin cancer, instead of protecting your skin.  

Read the full report here. EWG researchers recommend only 39, or 8 percent, of 500 beach and sport sunscreens on the market this season.

For years, experts and our parents have been telling us to apply and reapply sunscreen, especially when facing the sun’s harmful rays. According to this new study, almost half of the most popular sunscreen contain ingredients that could actually speed up cancer.

Check to see if your sunscreen is listed, click here.

This summer take the time to enjoy your friends and family and give thanks to the men and women that gave their lives for our country.
Read more.

Sue Scheff: Summer with Teens

By Denise Witmer

Summer, the sunny season where parents of teens have to scramble. Either you’re trying to find something for your teen to do or you’re rushing to get them to work, camp or a pool party. Add in finding time to plan and pull off a family vacation and can anyone with a teenager really say summer is the time of year that things slow down? Not in our home! Here are some resources to help you get through the work of being a parent of a teen in the summer and have more fun.

12 Weeks of Summer Activities
Summer Camps
Summer Crafts
Summer Jobs
Summer Recipes
Summer School
Summer Vacations
Teens Home Alone