Day-three calls from camp are common. The counselor doesn’t like me. Can I come home?
Most of the time, the kid is tired and homesick and projecting onto the nearest adult. Sometimes the kid is right.
How to tell which
Ask one question. What did the counselor say or do that bothered you?
If the kid says something specific (singled me out at lunch, didn’t pick me for the team, said something in front of others), there’s a real moment to investigate. Most kids tell the truth when asked specifically.
If the kid says “I just don’t like them” without specifics, the issue is usually homesickness or fatigue projected onto the counselor. The fix is rest, food, and a friend, not a phone call to the camp director.
What to do at the camp level
For a real moment, talk to the camp director, not the counselor. My kid mentioned an interaction with [name] that I want to make sure I understood. Can we talk about how you handle this?
Don’t lead with accusation. Lead with curiosity. The camp director has seen most of these patterns and can usually tell you what actually happened.
Most camps will move a kid to a different cabin or activity group if there’s tension. That’s a normal request. Don’t ask the counselor to be fired. Ask for the kid to have a different experience.
What to tell your kid
Don’t promise outcomes. I’m going to talk to the camp director is a real promise. I’ll get them in trouble is not.
Don’t pull the kid out unless something is genuinely wrong. Day-three homesickness usually clears by day five. Pulling them out teaches them that the answer to discomfort is exit, which is not the lesson you want.
If something is genuinely wrong (physical safety, an inappropriate comment), pull them out. No question.
How to vet a camp for safety covers the upfront work to avoid these.