Posts Tagged ‘Canada’s Canoe Camp’

I was inspired recently by a lecture that I attended by Kim John Payne titled Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids. Kim John authored a book of the same title in 2009, the ideas of which are catching on nationally at a rapid pace.  His message is clear:  by reducing the stress in the life of a child we give them the opportunity to flourish; the opportunity to  think more clearly, make better decisions, and have the capability to go deeper in to the activities, play, and work that they do now, and will do later.  Kim John explained that when children have a series of small cumulative stresses in their lives such as: too-busy schedules, constant media exposure, too many choices, and general chaos in their lives their brains function at limited capability while exhibiting the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.   In a time when it seems that stress is the new norm in our society, Kim John challenges us to keep it simple in the lives of our families, for the sake of our families.

Of course, it was hard to listen to this lecture and not make parallels to the ideals of Northwaters and Langskib Wilderness Programs and the reverence for childhood and adolescence that is honoured there.  By giving young people the opportunity to unplug, remove themselves from the expectations and norms of their home lives, and be with the land in a safe yet challenging environment, we create beautiful opportunities for personal growth.  We don’t need much to have powerful and formative experiences.  In the case of NWL, it is the bare necessities:  a tent, paddle, canoe, essentials that fit in to the canoe, a small group of supportive peers, and the quiet, solitude, and rawness of the Temagami Wilderness.

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It was impossible to watch the Canada vs United States Hockey game  without reflecting on one’s citizenship.  I have the good fortune to be a citizen of both Canada and the U.S. My citizenships  result from a series of lucky events, most of which occurred before I could even walk, much less contemplate the relative merits and responsibilities of citizenship in the two countries.  Now, having divided each of the past 35 years between each country, I have an honest claim to citizenship in both.

As the director of Northwaters and Langskib, I often receive queries from parents trying to figure out whether NWL is an American or a Canadian organization. Every other canoe camp I know is predominately one or the other.  One even claims to be “Canada’s Canoe Camp”. Given the recent Olympic events, this seems like a good time to set the record straight; NWL is both.

This is not the simple answer everyone is looking for. Alluding to my dual citizenship when crossing the border seems to virtually guarantee further questions from customs officials. People  prefer if you fit into a category, neatly please, without a whole lot of explanation. Check one box only, as it were. That’s not always possible. (more…)