Helping kids unplug, grow, and reconnect at a coed overnight camp in the Connecticut Berkshires
As someone who’s spent over 30 years working with children and teens, I’ve witnessed a quiet shift in how young people experience the world. More kids today seem to carry a constant hum of anxiety. Their emotional bandwidth feels thinner. It’s not that children have changed at their core—they’re still curious, funny, and full of potential—but the world around them has become more complex.
Jonathan Haidt’s new book, The Anxious Generation, puts a name to what so many educators, parents, and youth development professionals have sensed for years. And it validates the work we do every summer at Greenwood Trails, a coed sleepaway camp for ages 7–16 nestled in the beautiful Connecticut Berkshires.
What’s Causing the Anxiety? Haidt’s “Phone-Based Childhood” Theory
In The Anxious Generation, Haidt explains how today’s kids are growing up in what he calls a “phone-based childhood.” Rather than climbing trees, having in-person adventures, or navigating social dynamics face-to-face, many kids are glued to screens—scrolling, posting, and comparing themselves endlessly online.
This shift wasn’t planned. Haidt doesn’t blame parents; instead, he describes a cultural change that caught us all off guard. But the effects are profound: skyrocketing anxiety, depression, and even self-harm—especially among teenage girls who face relentless pressure from social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
As a camp director, I wasn’t shocked. But what struck me was how closely Haidt’s recommendations mirror what we already do at Greenwood Trails.
Why Sleepaway Camp Is the Antidote
Greenwood Trails is more than just a break from phones—it’s a return to real childhood.
1. Real Connection Over Digital Validation
At our overnight summer camp in Connecticut, kids don’t need likes or filters. They’re free to be their goofy, authentic selves—telling jokes in the cabin, singing around the campfire, and bonding over shared adventures. They experience true belonging, not just digital followers.
2. Independence and Free Play
Haidt highlights the decline of unstructured, independent play as a key factor in rising youth anxiety. At Greenwood Trails, campers explore the woods, try new activities, and solve problems on their own (with safe adult support). Whether they’re ziplining, building a shelter, or leading their team in Color War, they’re gaining real-world confidence that sticks.
3. Emotional Resilience in a Supportive Community
Camp isn’t always smooth—and that’s a good thing. Whether it’s navigating bunk dynamics or bouncing back from a homesick day, our campers learn to face challenges and come out stronger. We help them build emotional regulation, grit, and problem-solving skills—all while having fun.
4. A Complete Digital Detox
No phones. No texts. No endless scrolling. Just face-to-face connection, laughter, and adventure. For many campers, Greenwood Trails is their first real break from social media in years. And while it’s tough at first, most end up relieved. By the second week of even a 2-week or 3-week camp session, they’re not missing their phones—they’re too busy living.
Helping Kids Reclaim Their Childhood
One of Haidt’s most powerful ideas is that kids are not fragile—they are anti-fragile. They grow stronger when we let them face healthy challenges. That’s exactly what we do at Greenwood Trails.
We don’t promise a summer free of discomfort. We promise a summer of meaning. One filled with joy, growth, campfires, friendships, and resilience. Our campers:
- Get muddy.
- Try something they’ve never done before.
- Make a lifelong friend.
- Experience independence in a safe, supportive environment.
That’s what childhood should look like.
What Parents Can Do—And Why Camp Helps
In The Anxious Generation, Haidt urges parents to create environments where kids can thrive offline. Sleepaway camp is one of the best ways to do that.
If your child is overwhelmed by screens, struggling with anxiety, or feeling disconnected, the answer isn’t always more structure—or more therapy (though those can help). Sometimes, they just need a place to be a kid again.
At Greenwood Trails, our 2-week, 3-week, 5-week or 7-week sleepaway camp sessions give kids the space to:
- Step away from screens
- Form deep friendships
- Build independence and confidence
- Grow emotionally, socially, and physically
One Summer Can Change Everything
Every summer, I watch nervous campers arrive, unsure and quiet. And every summer, I watch them leave stronger, sillier, more confident, and more themselves.
They laugh louder. Walk taller. Make eye contact. Try new things.
They feed the “good wolf”—our way of describing the part of themselves that is kind, brave, and joyful.
Haidt’s book is a wake-up call—but it’s also a roadmap. Let’s help this generation remember what childhood is supposed to feel like. Let’s get them outside. Off screens. Into friendships. Into play.
Into camp.
Warmly,
Owen