Step daughter extremely camp sick

Question

My husband's 14 y/o daughter just returned from a two week stay over camp on Friday and has been staying with us (she lives with her mother, but her camp was closer to our house so she's staying with us for 2 weeks while her mother is in India on a business trip).

Since she got home she seems sad and withdrawn. She always talks about her counselor, whom she was extremely fond of, but when she does it makes her even more upset because the counselor is returning to her home country of England at the end of the summer and won't be back at the camp next year.

We have tried to take her mind off of camp and her counselor by offering to take her to amusement parks and shopping and out to eat, but she doesn't want to leave the house!

What can we do to ease the transition back home for her?

Answer 1

This is a tough one. I've been a camp counselor for 3 summers at a "stay over" camp and some of the relationships Ive made with students were amazing. Some of my girls that I counseled at age 14 are now 17-18 yrs. old.  The roll of a camp counselor is to completely invest and dedicate your time to a group/individual girls. Everything from eating together,doing rec., and spending quality time together. Im sure your step-daughter made a great friend; someone she can confide and trust in. Maybe there is something she's going through that this counselor encouraged her with. It could be anything: boys, self esteem, school, etc. Im getting off track... anyway, to answer your question, I would talk to her about how you understand what its like to feel like you are losing a friend, and that she was a very special girl. I would encourage her that she's not alone at home, and that you are happy she found someone to connect with. You could tell her that her counselor wouldn't want her to stay home and be sad. Maybe you can inspire her t become a camp counselor herself and touch other young ladie's lives in a couple years. She'll come around, especially when school starts.  

Answer 2

She's 14 and 14 year olds are emotional.  I think if you just keep letting her know that you're there for her, she'll be okay.  Keep the doors open for discussion and maybe ask HER what she needs at this given point of time.  She may be able to direct her feelings in a positive direction.

Answer 3

I would call and  see if it would be ok for her to wright her counselor.  I would also let her know that you are there for her and she can talk to you about what she is felling.