+ Try using a different word than incredible: Is your kid amazing? Wonderful? Inspiring? Spectacular? Impressive? Great? Marvelous? Fantastic? What about a more specific characteristic? Is your kid creative? Passionate? Generous? Caring? Determined? Confident? Compassionate? Do they make you smile? Laugh? Proud? Excited? Challenged to think in a different way? Inspired? Energized? There are thousands of ways to express how incredible your kid is. Don’t feel that you have to settle for one word!

+ Use the platform they respond to the most! For a lot of kids, that is social media. Do they love Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, email, or text messages? If you’re on social media, post a photo of the kid you want to praise, and try a caption like this for your post!

• I’m always so impressed by how hard you work! Your passion inspires me and you teach me how to enjoy life. I am so thankful for you. #KidDay #AIKD
• You make me proud, not just today, but EVERYDAY! I am so fortunate that you are in my life. Keep being you, because who you are is #incredible! Happy #KidDay! #AIKD

+ An absolutely incredible kids doesn’t have to be your kid. Don’t have kids of your own? Today is still for you! Are you a teacher who knows an incredible student? Are you a volunteer that has been inspired by the generosity of a kiddo you work with? Are you a social worker? A coach? A neighbor? A sibling? Aunt or uncle? How you know your kiddo isn’t important – it’s how they have impacted your life! Let them know you are honored to know them!

+ Stick a note in their lunch box, on their pillow, in their car, or put your AIKD letter/postcard in the mail for them!

That’s not all!

Here are examples that our National Youth Advisory Cabinet put together a few ideas for how to send an encouraging note on #KidDay!

Dear Shiloh,

I think that you are an absolutely incredible kid. You were such a fantastic help as my counselor-in-training last summer. I really admire how hard you worked to make sure that all of our campers learned and had fun. I was especially impressed by how much you grew as a leader during camp. You were great in the beginning, but by the end of camp, you were absolutely fantastic. All of the campers really admired you, and I do too! Keep working hard, and you will continue to accomplish great things. I can’t wait to work with you again next summer!

All the best,

Hey Zach!

I just wanted to take the time to point out what an absolutely incredible kid you are! You are pawsitively a joy to be around with your bright personality and sense of humor. And with your hard work and compassion, you will continue to amaze those around you. Take time to sniff out your spark and learn what makes you the wonderful person you are. It would be catastrophic for you to not to be recognized on absolutely incredible kid day and all other days for your unique spark. Stay positive and enjoy what amazing things are coming your way!

Connor,

Thank you for being an absolutely incredible kid! Being able to teach you swim lessons this summer was a blast. Seeing you grow and become a better swimmer made it all worthwhile. I hope to see you this summer again. Keep your school work up and have an amazing year.

See you later!

Still need more ideas?

Maybe words aren’t your thing. That’s okay! Paint a picture. Take a photo. Kick a soccer ball around. Choreograph a dance. Program a computer game. Learn something together.

On March 21st, tell your kiddo they are incredible in a way that is truly YOU.

Learn more about #KidDay and join the celebration!

The post Writing Tips, Ideas & Examples for #KidDay appeared first on Camp Fire.

Yep, words. On March 21, we’re asking for your voice. A few simple words can change the way kids see themselves, their strengths and even their futures.

Here are five ways you can make a big impact this Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®:

• Match the medium to the kid. Know a YouTube connoisseur? Make a video. A little artist? Draw a picture. An emoji prodigy? Send a text. An enthusiastic conversationalist? Make that phone call. A lover of the written word? Write a letter. Even if it means getting out of your own comfort zone, choose a format that fits the age, habits, and communication style of kid you’re encouraging.
• Go beyond incredible. Admirable. Amazing. Astonishing. Astounding. Awe-inspiring. Brilliant. Extraordinary. Formidable. Gifted. Impressive. Inventive. Marvelous. Notable. Outstanding. Remarkable. Splendid. Stunning. Super. Talented. Unreal. Wonderful. It doesn’t have to be “incredible.” Send a message that’s as unique as the kid you’re encouraging. And highlight more of who they ARE, not just what they do.
• Be specific about why they are incredible. Sure, it’s nice to be told you’re incredible. But it’s even better to know the details. Remember that we help kids develop a growth mindset when we praise their effort, strategies and progress. Instead of just saying “You’re incredible,” we can say, “You work really hard to make everyone in your class feel included.” Or “Your diligence in practicing the piano inspires me to keep practicing my own skills, too.” The more specific you are, the more encouragement you’ll give.
• Make it personal. Why do they matter to you? What difference do they make in your life? What have you learned from them? Is there something you wish someone would have told you at their age that you can pass on? Put some of your own story in the message, and it will mean twice as much.
• Keep it up. You don’t need to wait for next year to make a kid’s day. Put a reminder on your calendar to follow up on the message you sent in a week or a month. Support from caring adults is a key factor in helping kids thrive. Those few simple words of encouragement on a regular basis can literally change a young person’s life.

Learn more about #KidDay and join the celebration!

The post 5 Ways to Make a Big Impact for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® appeared first on Camp Fire.

Praise is one of the best techniques when working with kids!

It builds confidence, helps them to know what we like, and can reinforce the behaviors we want to see more. 

The key is “catching” the good stuff, so we can praise and acknowledge it. How do you do it?

1. Start noticing what they’re doing and saying it out loud.

• “I love that you’re putting your puzzle away.”
• “It was great to see you sharing your toys with your cousin.”
• “Thanks for waiting patiently while I was talking with the neighbor.”

2. Be as specific as possible.

• “Good job” is less meaningful than “I noticed you put your dinner dishes in the dishwasher. Thanks for doing that.”

3. Share praise regularly.

• It takes about five positive comments to balance out one negative one, so make sure you’re sharing plenty of positive comments and observations.

It’s not a magic wand, but you might be surprised about how powerful praise is when you take the time to give your children some positive attention.

Need more ideas on building up your child’s happiness and mental health? Check out OnOurSleeves.org!

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® is March 21st!

Every year, millions of people write/tell a young person in their life why they matter and what makes them amazing. Camp Fire founded this holiday in 1997 to encourage and inspire young people nationwide. Learn more at campfire.org/kidday.

Your words are powerful. Encourage a young person. Make an impact.

The post The Power of Praise appeared first on Camp Fire.

It’s our annual invitation to intentional connection. So we’ve been thinking about how we can align our #KidDay efforts with what children and teens need from us now. Our National Youth Advisory Cabinet has been sharing what kinds of messages mean the most to them.   

We were also inspired by Stephanie Malia Krauss’s recent presentation at our National Leadership Conference. Her book Whole Child, Whole Life had so much applicable connection wisdom, we wanted to ask how to apply it to #KidDay encouragement this year.  

Stephanie’s own growing-up challenges made her curious about what it takes for kids to thrive. It’s a question she has explored throughout her professional life as an educator, coach, social worker, consultant, and author.  

“I dropped out of school soon after the eighth grade, but ended up in college at 16,” Stephanie said. “And I would wonder what I had that made me ready because I didn’t have an excellent childhood, excellent standardized test scores, or any of the typical success measures.”  

What she did have was what researcher Jonathan Zaff called “a web of support,” including a middle school counselor who continued supporting her after she dropped out and consistent, practical care from coaches, friends’ parents, and bosses. Stephanie’s work now bridges that kind of frontline, community-led support with addressing the systemic barriers that keep kids from the futures they want. And connection is at the heart of it all.  

“What we know from the research is that being known and understood is one of the most tender and transformative experiences we can have,” said Stephanie. “And that magic connection of relationship ends up helping both the kid and the grown-up at the same time.” 

Here are five opportunities for deeper connection Stephanie suggested for #KidDay:  

1. Be curious about the differences in your growing-up experiences 

“The lived experience of today’s kids is significantly different from our own,” Stephanie said. “We know from the science that we’re wired and rewired based on our environments and experiences.” 

To create richer connections with young people, adults can check ourselves for assumptions we might be making and get curious about kids’ realities.  

Stephanie shared that her sons (ages 13 and almost 11) have been able to experience a “range of wonders,” including travel, an “eclectic” family, and chances to explore their passions, including athletics, art, and Lego. They also endured a pandemic, complex health issues and witnessed their godbrother survive and recover from a brutal school shooting. Their worries aren’t the same ones Stephanie had as a child.  

“It’s important for us to honor and recognize the reality of what kids have lived through and the strength and struggle that brings,” said Stephanie. “There’s something deeply profound in honoring their emerging, evolving stories.” 

Try it: This #KidDay, ask a young person what they love the most about being young right now. Then ask them what worries them.  

2. Listen first 

“Conversations about kids need to start with kids,” said Stephanie, whose most recent book opens with a preface written by her son.  

Stephanie described a recent listening and learning session she facilitated for a high school in Hawaii. Caregivers, teachers, coaches and counselors were invited to sit on the periphery of the circle while students were in the middle with Stephanie, sharing their thoughts on mental health, relationships and their hopes for the future. 

“The job of the grown-ups was to listen,” said Stephanie. “Those kinds of practices with groups and individuals can be really powerful, so long as trust is present and safety is held at the center.”   

Whether you’re holding a formal or informal listening session of your own, centering the voices of young people is a powerful statement of support. You can encourage them without saying a single word. 

Try it: Leading up to #KidDay, ask a young person how they want to be encouraged. Then follow their direction!  

3. Go beyond transactional to transformational 

Stephanie outlined five pieces to getting to know a whole child. The first three are the baseline need-to-knows for adults who are working with or caring for a young person:  

• Demographics and determinants: What risks and opportunities do young people experience based on what they look like and where they live? 
• Age and stage: What does the child need developmentally right now? 
• Brain and body: How does the child’s health affect their life? 

“I could know all that information, but still not create the conditions where a child feels cared for,” said Stephanie.  

She described the first three categories as transactional — things an adult needs to know to do the basics of their youth-related job, whether that’s teaching, providing services, mentoring or caregiving. But the last two categories are the ones that can transform information into true relationship:  

• People and places: Who are the people in the child’s life? Where do they spend time together? What is the child-like with those people and in those places? 
• Strengths and struggles: What makes the child come alive and what shuts them down?  

“If we can earnestly and honestly pursue those pieces, that’s when connection comes,” said Stephanie.  

Try it: Ask a young person where their favorite place is or who their favorite people are. Can you help arrange a #KidDay gathering or outing to celebrate those people or places? 

4. Recognize you’re part of a relationship web 

Stephanie is a fan of psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner, who helped develop the Head Start program. She paraphrased one of his main tenets: Every kid needs one adult who thinks they are the greatest of all time. But they also need a whole network of people who are showing up and offering everyday support.  

You don’t need to be every kid’s Biggest Fan, but you can be a consistent source of positivity for a wide range of young people in your life. There will always be kids you don’t gel with. Stephanie said that’s ok: You can treat all kids with care and help connect them to adults they may relate to better. 

“We don’t have to be all things to all kids, all the time,” said Stephanie. “But we can strive to create the conditions that are optimal for whatever relationship needs to emerge.”  

Try it: Do you know a young person who needs a mentor…who isn’t you? Use #KidDay as an excuse to make an introduction!  

5. Value the mundane moments 

Stephanie reminds adults that they often don’t know the impact they are having. For Whole Child, Whole Life, she interviewed David Shapiro, former CEO of MENTOR, about what he learned during his time there.  

“One of the things he said was never underestimate the power of a mundane moment,” remembered Stephanie. “What might be boring for you, may not be for the kid in your care. And that’s not for you to decide.” 

Stephanie encourages adults and kids to find ways to just be humans together, whenever you can. 

“The quality of connection is far more important than the quantity of time,” Stephanie said. “Our life is a string of moments and experiences. Do not undervalue the power of those moments, even if they’re periodic.” 

Try it: The next time you’re doing chores, driving between activities, or having another mundane moment with a kid in your life, let them know you like doing the everyday stuff with them and why.  

LEARN MORE about how you can participate in #KidDay2024! 

*#KidDay coincides with Camp Fire’s birthday – this year we turn 114 years old! 

The post #KidDay: An invitation to connection appeared first on Camp Fire.

“You are important! Your opinions and values matter, and you are worthy of attention, happiness, and love, so be kind to yourself, and don’t let anyone tell you different!”

– Bella Thornton

“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Make time for yourself every day to relax and spend time doing things you love.!”

– Ella Sherlock

“Being yourself is powerful. Be honest with yourself and others! Let yourself enjoy life, continue to be honest with yourself, and let yourself be a powerful person.”

– Khalilah Wilson

Above all, they wanted young people to know they are loved and seen and celebrated.

“Keep pushing. Don’t give up. Your opinions matter.”

#KidDay is March 16th. Tell your words are powerful. Tell the young people in your life how amazing they are.

The post A 2023 #KidDay Message from our National Youth Advisory Cabinet appeared first on Camp Fire.

Like Camp Fire says, “Growing up is hard,” and it seems to have gotten even trickier to navigate in recent years, with screen time at an all-time high, youth experiencing a national mental health crisis and climate change anxiety on the rise. Author and Children & Nature Network co-founder Richard Louv coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe the suite of symptoms that can stem from children’s lack of connection with nature today. 

But the same thing that young people are lacking can also be a comprehensive solution, helping young people to be healthier, happier and more capable — nature connection. Research tells us that regular time outdoors is essential for children’s development. If you’re looking to encourage and empower young people, time in nature is an excellent way to do so.

Sold on the benefits of nature connection but looking for easy ways to implement this strategy in everyday life? There are so many ways that caregivers can help their children and teens connect with nature. I’ve listed a few below. 

Spend some time on self-care in nature.

According to scientific studies, mindfully connecting with nature can produce a variety of health benefits, promoting physical, mental and social well-being. Integrate self-care into the daily routine for you and your little ones. You can do so by tuning into your five senses, regularly taking mini breaks for nature connection throughout the day, and practicing “earthing” — connecting directly to nature by walking or standing on grass, sand or dirt while barefoot. Check out this infographic for more on the ways that families can practice self-care in nature.

Get inspired by Nature Activity Cards.

You’ve managed to get your kiddos dressed, fed and to the park. Now what? If you just need a little bit of guidance once you get outside, fear not. These Nature Activity Cards will help inspire all types of creative nature play! Cards are separated into two suggested age groups, 2-6 and 7-11 years old, with six themed packs for each age group. Choose from themes like reptiles, nature crafts, clouds, nocturnal urban animals, camping and winter-appropriate activities. Each themed pack has an assortment of age-appropriate activities, incorporating elements of play, environmental stewardship, storytelling and more. 

Plant a garden. 

Scientists have found that gardening is good for the health and development of children and youth of all ages — not to mention the positive effects it can have on the environment. You can take baby steps by starting with just a few seeds in small pots indoors. Children love to track seedlings as they grow and change. You’ll find more inspiration in these true stories of schools promoting science equity, environmental literacy and healthy eating through their gardens. In Perú, an innovative approach called Tierra de Niños (TiNis), or Children’s Lands, gives children of all ages the opportunity to design, create and manage gardens of their own as a way of connecting with nature and empowering them to be agents of change. Read these resources for additional guidance on creating your own home garden with your favorite young people: “Little gardeners: Home-grown connections to the natural world” by Julie Cerny, and “20 ways to create a naturally restorative home and garden” by Richard Louv.

Take on the Vitamin N Challenge.

It’s easy to get sucked into a busy schedule of appointments, drop-offs and play dates, and find yourself skipping the nature connection time that’s essential for health and well-being. That’s where the Vitamin N Challenge can help, encouraging you and your family to commit to getting a regular dose of the all-important Vitamin N — Nature! Inspired by our co-founder Richard Louv’s book, “Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life,” the Vitamin N Challenge can take any shape or size that works for you. It’s all about setting and committing to a goal that will help you and your family get more Vitamin N. We run a big Vitamin N Challenge every summer, so mark your calendars! But any time is a great time to commit to getting more time outdoors, so check out the Vitamin N page for inspiration and resources to help you stay on track with your Vitamin N Challenge.

Find a nature hobby.

Gamifying the outdoors like a video game. Nature journaling. Hiking. Reading picture book pages while on a simple trail. Camping. Connecting with other families and caregivers through family hiking groups. Wildlife photography. Horseback riding. The Nordic custom of friluftsliv. 

These are just a few of the outdoor activities that families and caregivers can use to connect with nature — and each other. The options are endless. If you’re interested in exploring a new outdoor hobby, there are resources that can help you borrow needed equipment before you commit. Public libraries are increasingly building out gear libraries so that residents can check out outdoor gear for free. Many are also integrating gardens and other natural elements into their designs. Local clubs organized by groups like Hike it Baby may also lend out baby backpacks and slings to help caregivers find the right baby-wearing option for them and their child.

Each of these activities empowers young people and helps them feel confident. And, while you’re enjoying quality time with your favorite young people, take a moment to let them know how much they are appreciated. The outdoors is a great place to do so.

Resources to help families connect with nature

• Resources for families
• 4 ways to practice self-care in nature infographic
• Nature Activity Cards
• Garden advice: “”Little gardeners: Home-grown connections to the natural world” by Julie Cerny, and “20 ways to create a naturally restorative home and garden” by Richard Louv
• Vitamin N Challenge resources and inspiration
• Real-life stories of nature connection in Finding Nature News
• Scientific research that makes the case for connecting children to nature in our Research Library

The post Spend time with children in nature for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® appeared first on Camp Fire.

Additionally, there are approximately 2.3 million children under the age of 18 living with a disabled veteran in communities across the U.S. Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) is a proud member of the Hidden Helpers Coalition, a group of 80+ organizations who have pledged to support and uplift these young people.

That’s why we are using Camp Fire’s Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® as an important opportunity to identify, encourage, and recognize Hidden Helpers and all military youth in our communities. This day gives us an opportunity to honor and celebrate their unique resilience, strength, and character.

Below are three ideas from Healthier Generation and our partners at Blue Star Families. Try them on Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® in March and continue celebrating youth in your life through Month of the Military Child in April and beyond.

Mapping Your Identity

Adults who give space for young people to share their identities can build more inclusive and connected learning environments at home, at school, and in the community. One way to do this is by using an identity map. An identity map is a graphic tool used to share, learn, and reflect on the aspects that shape who we are. It can include words, drawings, or photos that describe what makes each of us unique.

Download Healthier Generation’s free Identity Map Worksheet in English and Spanish.

Getting the Conversation Started

Healthier Generation believes asking unique, engaging questions is just one of many ways we can better connect with each other, In collaboration with our partners at Blue Star Families, we developed a one-of-a-kind resource and learning activity, Quality Time in No Time. This 10-minute learning activity includes free printables, like Silly and Speedy Conversation Starters.

Here’s a conversation starter to try this Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®: What is your favorite thing about yourself?

Play Together in Nature

Nature-based activities are a great way to connect and sustain relationships with young people while supporting mental and physical health. Created in partnership with Blue Star Families, Nature BINGO includes 20+ activity ideas perfect for your Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® celebration. Two of our favorite BINGO squares include, “Host a neighborhood field day,” and “Try a new food and learn about its cultural significance.”

Which of these three ideas will you try? What would you add to the list? Share your experience and tag Healthier Generation on social using @healthiergen. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #KidDay2023!

Resources for Supporting Military Youth

• Blue Star Outdoors: https://bluestarfam.org/family-life/blue-star-outdoors/
• Fostering Belonging with Military Families: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/articles/fostering-belonging-with-military-families
• Hidden Helpers Coalition: https://hiddenheroes.org/resources/hiddenhelpers/
• Mapping Your Identity: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/articles/mapping-your-identity
• Nature BINGO: https://bluestarfam.org/outdoor-explorers-family-activities-bingo/
• Silly and Speedy Conversation Starters: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/app/resources/1410
• Start the Conversation: https://bluestarfam.org/2022/12/start-the-conversation/

The post Encourage and Recognize Military Youth on Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® appeared first on Camp Fire.

In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association banded together to declare a national emergency in adolescent mental health: “We are caring for young people with soaring rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality that will have lasting impacts on them, their families, and their communities,” they wrote.     

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood diagnoses of anxiety and depression have been increasing. Nine percent of American kids have been diagnosed with anxiety; four percent have been diagnosed with depression. As children grow into their teen years, those rates get higher: More than a third of teens say that they’ve had persistent sad or hopeless feelings, and 19 percent had considered attempting suicide.¹ 

Unfortunately, those rates increase again if young people’s identities are marginalized. 42 percent of LGBTQ2S+ youth have considered attempting suicide, for example. Rates of depression are highest among youth who identify as having more than one race.  

What can you do to help?  

Long-term, you can connect with and invest in a positive youth development organization, like Camp Fire, or The Trevor Project, or On Our Sleeves. 

But this month, you can take action by participating in Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®. Join millions of people on Thursday, March 16, 2023 and tell a young person why they matter and what makes them amazing.  

(Fun fact: it’s also Camp Fire’s 113th birthday!) 

Why? Your words are powerful and can change a young person’s life. Whether you write, call, text or send a video, it can make an immediate impact. What do the young people in your life need to hear?  

Visit our #KidDay page to get tips, ideas and tools.  

Growing up is hard, and those statistics definitely paint a concerning picture. But we know what else makes a difference in the lives of young people: In addition to professional treatment, there are other interventions that can help foster better mental health, including: 

• Developmental relationships with positive adults lead to young people with stronger social-emotional skills. They take more personal responsibility and less risks. But more than 1 in 5 middle and high school students report they don’t have any developmental relationships. Access to positive youth development programs, where young people can get support from trained adults, is limited. Almost 25 million American children don’t have access to an afterschool program, for example.  
   
• Being in nature can boost moods, lower anxiety, and deliver a wide variety of mental health benefits. But kids spend a large portion of their days behind screens (6 hours a day for 8 to 10 year olds, 9 hours a day for 11 to 14 year olds, and 7.5 hours a day for 15 to 18 year olds³). Access to nature is often blocked for people of color and low-income communities, thanks to decades of structural racism and classism. This disparity is called The Nature Gap. 74 percent of non-white people live in nature-deprived areas, compared to only 23 percent of white people.⁴ 70 percent of low-income communities live without easy access to green spaces.    
   

Thanks for caring about young people with us, and connecting them to the outdoors, to others, and to themselves.  

Sources:  

1. “Data & Statistics,” CDC.gov. Accessed 13 February 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html  
2. “What we’re learning about development relationships,” The Search Institute. Accessed 13 February 2023. https://www.search-institute.org/developmental-relationships/learning-developmental-relationships/ 
3. “Screen Time VS Lean Time,” CDC.gov. Accessed 13 February 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html 
4. “The Nature Gap,” Americanprogress.org. Accessed 13 February 2023. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-nature-gap/   

The post Growing Up is Hard – But You Can Make it Less Lonely  appeared first on Camp Fire.

Not only, did I cringe when I wrote on the negative side, but it also hurt me to see those words written, emotionally. I wrote down words like cold, hurtful, insult, lingering, and sadness. When I began thinking on the positive side, they were all warm, comforting, and felt good to add to my journal. I liked seeing love, happy, kindness, caring, and sincere written in my notes. The visual helped me process and marinate on the impact of words.

As an intern with Camp Fire National HQ this Spring 2021, one of my goals has been to help build the national Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® 2021 campaign, all about uplifting the children in our lives. Words of encouragement are the single driving force of this holiday. Whether you choose to say them, write them, or make a post about the children in your life; it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we make sure to use our words to uplift the children in our lives on March 18^th, 2021.

Words of affirmation are one of the most powerful ways we show love to our friends and family. As I consider how much I, personally, enjoy a kind word from a friend, I am reminded of all the children who may not have that each day. One in three children will grow up without ever having a mentor (mentoring.org). I worry about those kids. I wonder who is going to cheer them on and empower them to chase their dreams.  Then I come back around to the national holiday primarily focused on encouraging children and a new dream washes over me. I wish that on this day, every child hears a kind and loving word about them. My hope is that on Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®, we can start a movement of affirmations and be excited to reach out to every child in our lives and remind them why they are Absolutely Incredible.

I think that on this special holiday, we can expand our reach to touch not only the kids we see every day but also to the hearts of those who may not hear it as often. I believe that the weight rests on our shoulders. It is our obligation to lift up those that we love and tell them how and why they are important to us. If I understand and acknowledge how desperately I need support, encouragement, and love, then it’s easy to understand how children need that so much more.

Years ago, I found a passion for mentoring children. As a kid, I was set up with a mentor that truly changed my life for the better. My mentor showered me with kind words and never hesitated in lifting my spirits. It was exactly what I needed then and is exactly what I still need today. I have rerouted my life towards social work and enrolled back in college to obtain a degree in Family Science. As I am now in my final semester with McNeese State University and working in an internship with a national leader in youth development programs, I have become inspired.  Camp Fire is teaching me and challenging me in ways that I had never expected. I’m taking notes, doing the extra research, and studying on the side. I am committed to truly submerging myself into this opportunity.  It is a great honor for me to support and help an inclusive national youth development organization push the Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® campaign. I hope this inspires you the way that Camp Fire has inspired me.

Please, reach out and raise the spirits of every child you know on Thursday, March 18, 2021.  Let’s spread some good.

The post The Power In Words of Affirmation appeared first on Camp Fire.

Here at Camp Fire, every day is about helping kids thrive. But we wanted to take one day a year to really do it BIG. That’s why we started Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® in 1997. Every year on the third Thursday of March, thousands of adults across the country join Camp Fire in lifting up young people…with the power of words.

Yep, words. On March 17, we’re asking for your voice. A few simple words can change the way kids see themselves, their strengths and even their futures.

Here are five ways you can make a big impact this Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®:

• Match the medium to the kid. Know a YouTube connoisseur? Make a video. A little artist? Draw a picture. An emoji prodigy? Send a text. An enthusiastic conversationalist? Make that phone call. A lover of the written word? Write a letter. Even if it means getting out of your own comfort zone, choose a format that fits the age, habits, and communication style of kid you’re encouraging.

• Go beyond incredible. Admirable. Amazing. Astonishing. Astounding. Awe-inspiring. Brilliant. Extraordinary. Formidable. Gifted. Impressive. Inventive. Marvelous. Notable. Outstanding. Remarkable. Splendid. Stunning. Super. Talented. Unreal. Wonderful. It doesn’t have to be “incredible.” Send a message that’s as unique as the kid you’re encouraging.
  And highlight more of who they ARE, not just what they do.
• Be specific about why they are incredible. Sure, it’s nice to be told you’re incredible. But it’s even better to know the details. Remember that we help kids develop a growth mindset when we praise their effort, strategies and progress. Instead of just saying “You’re incredible,” we can say, “You work really hard to make everyone in your class feel included.” Or “Your diligence in practicing the piano inspires me to keep practicing my own skills, too.” The more specific you are, the more encouragement you’ll give.
• Make it personal. Why do they matter to you? What difference do they make in your life? What have you learned from them? Is there something you wish someone would have told you at their age that you can pass on? Put some of your own story in the message, and it will mean twice as much.

• Keep it up. You don’t need to wait for next year to make a kid’s day. Put a reminder on your calendar to follow up on the message you sent in a week or a month. Support from caring adults is a key factor in helping kids thrive. Those few simple words of encouragement on a regular basis can literally change a young person’s life.

Ready to make an impact this Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®?

On March 17, I pledge to tell at least one kid why they are INCREDIBLE:

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