Celebrating Differences

As children prepare for camp often a fear that they have is that they are not going to fit in and will stick out like a zebra with spots instead of stripes!!  Encouraging your camper to discuss their feelings will help ease anxiety and fear.  Ask them the following questions…  

How will you be similar with the other campers?

Possible answers: all are human beings, all have feelings, all have fears, all are breathing, all have blood flowing in their veins, all are attending the same camp, and list goes on.

Explain to them how humans are a lot like candy coated chocolates with different colors on the outside, but the same inside!

How will you be different from other campers?

Differences could include: gender, religion, race, age, body type, physical development, hair and eye color, socio-economic status, family dynamics, sports interests, artistic ability, etc. 

Exposing your camper to new experiences will help give them the tools needed to treat others with understanding, compassion, respect, and acceptance.  If you live in an isolated or segregated neighborhood take trips to other neighborhoods or cities. Use museums, restaurants, ethnic grocery stores, religious establishments, festivals, and libraries to provide them with essential multicultural experiences.

Depending on the age of your camper you might consider renting movies that celebrate diversity such as Racing Stripes, Finding Nemo, Shrek I and II, Breakfast Club, Pay It Forward, Mean Girls, or others to open up dialogue.

We hope that your camper realizes that being different makes you special!!

 Liz Garland served as the National Director for the Zink the Zebra Foundation, Inc from 2001 to 2006. Before coming to Zink she worked for three different Girl Scout councils in a variety of positions including directing camp for many years.