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Sign up before December 7th and get a $50 discount!
Want to jump to the price?Advantage Winter Day Camp
Building skills through play
Camp is all about building skills that help your child:
- Make and keep friends
- Control those impulses that get them in trouble the most
- Notice and talk about feelings
- Feel good about themselves
- HAVE FUN!
You have a great kid
There are times that you are blown away by the insightful, funny things he says or the creative effort that she put into something that really interests her. You wish you could bottle that energy and intensity when your child is really interested in something.
Unfortunately, there are other times when you worry because your child is in trouble all the time. School seems more like a battleground than a place of learning. The neighborhood kids are starting to avoid your child, and you worry that she will never make any friends. Most of all you worry that she is starting to realize that she doesn’t fit in and that she is starting to feel bad about herself.
You’ve tried putting him into day camps, after school activities, and sports, but he is not able to be successful. You end up getting those dreaded phone calls when he has melted down yet again. Being with a large number of kids with only a few adults to supervise is a recipe for disaster. You keep hoping that he’ll outgrow it or that “maybe this time things will be better” But deep down you worry that he will not be able to make it, and you worry that you are setting him up to fail yet again.
What if you could find a program for your child that focuses on building your child’s skills in the very areas that he struggles? What if this program is built from the ground up to address what your child goes through every day? And not only that IT’S FUN!
“I wanna come back again, mom!"
6 year old who attended Advantage Summer DaycampIntroducing Advantage Winter Daycamp
Advantage Day camp is designed using the latest research and best practices for working with your intense child.
We have a leader to camper ratio of one leader for every two campers. So there will be plenty of opportunities for learning, lots of supervision, and positive attention that really gets results. Our leaders have been trained extensively in behavior modification techniques using the Nurtured Heart Approach as well as Collaborative Problem Solving. This powerful combination of well researched techniques creates an environment where children who normally struggle will thrive. Our staff is trained in CPR, First Aide, and Food Handling so you won’t need to worry about safety.
We will be using the Superflex social skills curriculum by Michelle Garcia Winner. This evidenced based program helps children to learn to be more flexible thinkers while learning strategies to defeat the "Unthinkables" like Rock Brain, WasFunnyOnce, WorryWall, BrainStealer and many many more. This fun and informative program has been used in schools and clinics internationally.
Advantage Camp is comfortable
Camp takes place on the second floor of a residential home. This room is set up specifically with comfy couches, chairs, and cushions so that your child will be comfortable and at home. We have an art area, a quiet area, a class room space, and of course we will be going out to our garage everyday to play "outside" or we may actually play outside depending on the weather.
Each three hour day will be packed with fun activities like:
- Writing and acting in a movie
- Music
- Art
A typical day in the life of an Advantage Camper
9:00 am Check in, review rules, overview of the day
9:15 am Superflex Time - social skills lessons and fun
10:00 am Snack
10:15 am Games in the garage - team building fun
10:45 am Video production - collaboration, writing, imagination, and more
11:15 am Art/Music
11:15 am Clean up, go to the Camp store
12:00 pm Parent's pick up
We will be having a special field trip on the last day of camp to celebrate all our successes as well as a special viewing of the camp video that we will be creating. This is a special time for your child to share with you all that he or she has learned this week.
We also support you
You will receive a special edition Parenting Advantage Guide which is a tutorial booklet that will help you use the same techniques at home that we use here at camp. Based on the popular Calm the Chaos Parent Coaching program offered by Karen DeBolt, this guide will provide you with simple tools to help calm the chaos in your home. A special offer that bundles camp with Calm the Chaos Parent Coaching before and after camp is also available if you would like help with your specific challenges at home.
We will be asking you some questions about your child before camp so that we can address your specific concerns. Each child will bring home a personalized goal sheet so that we can reward the very behaviors that you want to see. We will also be offering some tips that you can use at home to continue the progress. You will know what happened everyday and that smiling face will say it all.
Who we are
Karen DeBolt, MA
Karen, our camp director, created this camp from a parent’s perspective with a therapist’s knowledge. Karen has a son diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and several family members also have ADHD of various flavors, and this camp is what she would have dreamed for her own family members. Karen has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, is a mother of three children, and wife to Dan DeBolt. Karen has worked extensively with children diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s, Adjustment Disorders and various trauma histories. Karen worked as the Camp Therapist at Royal Family Kids Camp, an overnight camp for foster children. Karen also works full time at a Crisis Hotline when she is not at camp.Aaron and Kristin Hanson
Aaron and Kristin are both from Beaverton, OR. Kristin is the youngest of 5 brothers and 5 sisters. Aaron is the middle child of three. Kristin was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADD when she was 5 years old. Both Aaron and Kristin have been working with children with disabililites for 15 years—starting in high school. Kristin has completed group and basic counseling classes.
Aaron and Kristin have three children. The oldest has been diagnosed with ADHD combination type, depression, anxiety, sensory challenges, mild speech disorder, and last year Asperger’s Syndrome. Because of all the challenges to raise their intense child, they have been involved in the ADHD community, have attended multiple workshops and classes, as well as Parent Coaching. Both believe that training is so important and should be the beginning of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Our Campers
Children in 2nd through 6th grade who may have:
ADHD, Asperger's, PDD NOS, NVLD, Autism Spectrum, or no diagnosis at all, but are struggling with social skills.
Note: I may consider a mature first grader or an immature 7th grader on a case by case basis. If in any doubt, please feel free to ask by filling out the form at the bottom or call Karen at 503-459-2073 for more information.
When
Two sessions to choose from--come to one or both weeks:
December 21st to 24th 9 am to 12 noon
December 28th to 31st 9 am to 12 noonWhere
Home of Karen DeBolt
5234 NE Farmcrest St.
Hillsboro, OR. 97124503-459-2073
MapWhat to bring to camp
Water Bottle
Socks for inside the house
Warm jacket/Hat/Gloves as appropriate to the weather
Medications if needed (Signed medication release forms)
Booster Seat if child is less than 4’9” tall, unless they are 8 years old
"My husband and I were desperate for understanding of our son's emotional difficulties in dealing with his ADHD challenges. As most kids in his situation, our son is loving, bright and creative. We feared the damage his emotional outbursts could do not only to our family, but to his own growth and happiness.
Aside from Karen's wealth of knowledge and understanding of the challenges and heartaches associated with ADD/ADHD, she offers a very empathetic ear, and I felt very comfortable talking to her, always, about any subject. Along with help in dealing with our son's problems, Karen offered expert insight into tools to help our marriage and try to heal some of the damage done by our chaotic lives.
Karen was great with our son and modeled some ways for us to better relate to him. She was also great with our younger daughter, who sometimes accompanied our visits. She obviously loves children and cares deeply for each one's well being in all ways. I found Karen had a perfect mix of professional expertise and the understanding we needed.
I have felt blessed to find Karen in our time of need, and look forward to meeting with her again." S. mother of 9 year old
What is included
Basic Day camp program:
- 12 Hours of intensive skill building with highly trained leaders over four days.
- Social Skills Assessment - will pinpoint challenges and strengths
- Parenting guide that outlines our techniques and tools
- Peace of mind knowing that your child is safe, happy and having fun which gives you time to get things done or do your own self care.
Premium Advantage program
Includes the Basic Day camp program above plus:
Three one hour sessions of Calm the Chaos parent coaching with Karen DeBolt, MA.
This is a program designed to give you all the tools that we use in our program – so you can use them at home. Parent Coaching offers a way to be able to talk about your unique family situation with someone who has been there with her own family. With empathy and compassion, you can learn parenting techniques in a program custom tailored for your situation and your learning styles. Plus a customized behavior plan designed for your family. Sessions will be scheduled before and during day camp week in person or on the telephone, then at your convenience after camp. See the coaching page for more information.
Refund Policy
If you cancel anytime before December 14th for any reason, you will receive a 100% no questions asked refund. If you cancel anytime between December 15th and December 20th, you will receive an 80% refund or a 100% discount if we are able to fill the slot. There are no refunds once camp has begun. Obviously, if your child is ill or some other big problem arises, please just give us a call, and let’s talk it over.
Since it is Winter, weather may be an issue. If we have a huge snow storm again like last year (it can't happen two years in a row can it?) where travel is treacherous or even impossible, then we will cancel the program and refund 100% of everyone's money.
Sound good?
If this program sounds like it is what you have been looking for then fill out the application below.
Once we receive it then we will send you an email with payment options or if we are full, then we will let you know that you have been added to the waiting list. Once we receive your payment, then we will send you the enrollment packet which will have information you can share with your child about what to expect at camp and some forms for you to fill out and send back to us.
What is included:
Basic Premium 12 Hours of camp over four days with a leader to student ratio of at least 1:2 (Value: $ 300.00) 
Social Skills Assessment (Value $120.00) Emailed Questions answered during camp ($160.00) Advantage Parenting Guide (Value $49.95) Calm the Chaos Parent Coaching
(3 sessions) ($240.00)(Total Value
$1069.00)TOTAL Early Bird Price (Before December 7th)
299.00 499.00 TOTAL (After December 7th)
349.00
589.00
"Please share my experience, it is making my life much less stressful, and I am enjoying time with my son instead of nagging on him all the time."
D. mother of 4 year old