Grandkids Camp

Make Life Grand!

After Camp

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Now that you have survived Grandkids Camp, a little self-care is priority one!

Recovery & Clean-up

Depending on your level of exhaustion, you may feel like resting a bit before cleaning. Or, if you can’t rest while there’s still a mess, you can hit the cleaning first!

  • Recovery. You’ve earned a treat, so choose your favorite: get a message, take a bubble bath, read a good book, listen to music, or climb into bed for a nice nap–whatever helps you relax, recuperate, and revive!
  • Clean-up. This may look like a Herculean task, but you can attack it in a few different ways. You could recruit assistance. Since it takes a village to raise a child, you could ask the parents of your grand-messmakers to help clean up the camp their kids just attended. Another option is to hire help: a professional service or even just a neighborhood teen. If you decide to tackle the aftermath yourself, break the job down into smaller jobs. Maybe gather all the supplies that need to be put away into a couple laundry baskets and put them aside. Then, do your scrubbing and put your living areas back to normal. That way you can function and be comfortable while you put the rest of the mess away as you find time and energy to do so.

Evaluation & Notes

In the days following GK Camp, you will be reflecting and analyzing all the aspects of your adventure. While it’s fresh in your mind, record some notes in a notebook or on your phone or computer. These will be so valuable when you start planning for next year!

  • Nailed It. What worked well? What did the kids love most? Where did you go that was hit? What activities or elements do you want to do again? Write down even the small details and the reasons they went well.
  • Never Again. Every year, I discover something that is just a complete flop. At least in my mind! Maybe something just took too much energy/time/preparation than it was worth. Maybe something is no longer working, because grand-campers are too old/young/numerous. These aren’t failures, just discoveries. Record your analysis.
  • Adjustments. As you evaluate your camp, you will probably think of a few tweaks that will improve certain aspects of the experience. Recording those ideas now will remind you to make these improvements when you prepare your next GK Camp.

Preserving Memories

There is power in preserving memories. With NINE Grandkids Camps under my belt, I can assure you that preserving these moments also preserves your relationships, strengthens the bonds you have built, and testifies of your love for them and how much they matter to you.

  • Journaling. On the final day of every Grandkids Camp, each participant creates a journal page of their favorite part of camp. Grandma and Grandpa create a page; every grandkid who is old enough to write, draw, color, or scribble makes a page; and we trace the hand or foot of the grandbabies. Each journal page includes their name and age, too.
  • Memory Book.

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