Internationally recognized author & educator for professionals, parents, and kids
Archive for June, 2019
Helping Kids Cope with Stressful Situations
05 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
I have been so blessed and honored to travel to great schools and organizations and to work with professionals, parents, and kids on strategies for managing anger, anxiety, stress and conflict. It would be impossible for me to pick a favorite place…but Camp Gold Arrow has got to be way, WAY up there. I loved the people, the setting, and the belief in nurturing the well-being of children. I love their commitment to educating staff on how to best support campers and their insight that #relationshipsmatter. I’m grateful for the wonderful experience at GAC and happy to share their great programming with you!
Here’s a post they shared about the training I offered to their staff this past weekend.
Happy Campers: Bringing the LSCI Approach to Camp
05 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
I got to go to camp this weekend!
Since February, I have been chatting with Audrey “Sunshine” Monke, owner of Gold Arrow Camp and author of the new (and phenomenal!) book, Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults, about offering training to her camp staff prior to the summer sessions. I had a feeling that being at camp would evoke nostalgia for the summers of my youth and knew from my conversations with ‘Sunshine’ that she and I are of similar minds when it comes to prioritizing social-emotional health in kiddos, but I never anticipated what a forward-thinking, child-centered, well-educated, relationship-building, warm, fun, all-around-awesome culture Gold Arrow Camp (GAC) would have. I could have stayed all summer!
Here are some photos from my three days of pure air, pure dedication to kids, and pure joy, talking with the talented and diverse Gold Arrow Camp staff about anxiety in young people, understanding the differences between rude, mean and bullying behavior at camp, and how to use LSCI skills to relate, regulate, and respond effectively to challenging camper behavior.
Teaching GAC staff to look beyond surface behavior to understand the thoughts and feelings that drive challenging camper behaviors
Keynote at Big Campfire
All smiles with Sunshine & our newest books! Check out Happy Campers!
Game time! Loved playing this camp game that blends brain-aligned rhythms with focused attention and pure fun!
Making “Breathing Beads” to bring mindfulness skills to campers