“Fat camps,” for kids, can be the ultimate humiliation in an already bad world of schoolyard teasing and bullying.  Kids are teased for all kinds of reasons, and being overweight is a common one.  If word gets out that a child had to spend a summer away from home at one of the “fat camps,” for kids, that can be the worst thing in the world.

So if your child is overweight and you’ve decided that camp is the best way to get them started in a healthy lifestyle, you really need to pick the approach well, or else he’ll be upset and embarrassed, and it could ruin any positive impact the camp could have.

The best thing to do is to emphasize that the point of the camp is to learn about healthy eating and fitness.  Of course, the term “fat camp” should never enter the conversation!  It’s a mean phrase and outdated, based on the way today’s camps are run.

Get your child involved in every aspect of picking the camp.  Most camps have special programs depending on where they are, and if your child is interested in a certain type of sport, find one that has that.  Or you can find one in a certain area that they may like.

Of course, some kids won’t want to leave home, and there are many camps that run daily, and don’t stay overnight.  But most kids, once they realize how much fun camp can be, end up wishing it could last a little bit longer.  And if they take home information that can change their life for the better, then of course it’s all worth it!