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30 Hudson Valley Parent n February 2019 Camp counselors aren't doctors While there are nurses at most camps to tend to your sick or injured child, they and the camp directors have limitations when working with your child's medications. "I wish parents knew we can't change the medication their child needs to take," says Maria Aranibar, camp director for Braeside Camp in Middletown, which is both a day camp and an overnight camp for children ages 4 to 16 years old. For example, if you send your child to camp with a medication that states it must be taken at 1pm every day, the camp cannot deviate from that, even five minutes. "We have to go exactly by what the bottle says," says Aranibar. "Your child also can't self-medicate. By LISA IANNUCCI B efore you know it, school will be out and it will be time to send the kiddies off to camp. We asked moms of previous campers and camp directors to tell us the things they wish you and your children knew. While you're planning for the summer fun, keep these tips in mind. Label everything When Catherine Monteiro sent her son Matthew to sleepaway camp a few years ago, she was pleased at how well the camp kept her informed. "I missed him, but it was good for him to go away and have the experience away from electronics and social media," says the mom who lives in Poughkeepsie. Monteiro still wishes she had been told one thing before the first day of camp. "I wish I knew how important it was to label all of his clothes and make sure that we sent extra," she says. "Matthew came home with fewer clothes than we sent with him. Some were brand new clothes that were lost. Other than that, it was a great experience." Sally Buttinger, co-owner and director of Camp Hillcroft in LaGrangeville, says that the lost and found at her camp fills up an entire room by the end of summer. "The kids get changed twice each day for swimming so use a Sharpie to write their names on the clothes," she says. Even Tylenol can be taken incorrectly, so it's our responsibility to administer medication the correct way." Camps should match your child's temperament Filomena Fanelli has sent both of her daughters, 12-year-old Emilia and 7-year-old Siena, to the Gold's Gym Day Camp in LaGrange and she made sure to match them up to the right camp. She wishes other moms knew how to do that. "My best advice for moms sending their children to a day camp is to make sure the schedule and level of activities matches the child's temperament," says the Poughkeepsie mom. "For example, if your child craves lots of physicality, is there time outside to play or a quiet, air-conditioned place for them if they need downtime?" Camps are structured environments Aranibar wants parents to know that summer camps aren't school. They are much more fun, but camps are still structured environments. "Parents should have their kids here on time and with a good night's sleep and fed," says the Braeside Camp Director. Camp is meant to be fun, but it's important to remember that it is still a structured environment that has some rules and regulations that are implemented to keep your kids safe. 6 things to know before the first day of summer camp Moms and camp directors provide the inside scoop Catherine Monteiro (not pictured) says her son lost clothes at sleepaway camp because they werent labeled. Her tip to moms: Label everything!