Rediscovering Connection in a Digital World
December 30, 2025
It is the battle every modern parent is fighting, and it often feels like a losing one. The iPad, the Xbox, the smartphone. We worry our sons are becoming “screen zombies”; physically present, but mentally checked out.
We worry about what they are missing. We worry about their attention spans. We worry that they are forgetting how to be bored, how to be creative, and how to connect with humans face-to-face.
Camp Winaukee is a screen-free environment. For 3 to 7 weeks, the screens are gone.
When parents hear this, they often panic for a second, “Will he survive?” “What will he do?”
The answer is: He will come alive.
Social Fitness
Without a screen to hide behind, boys have to navigate the real world. If there is a disagreement in the bunk, they can’t just text someone else; they have to work it out. They learn to read facial expressions and tone of voice. These are social muscles that are atrophying in today’s digital world.
Deep Connection
You cannot form a deep friendship while looking at a phone.
The bonds formed at camp are legendary because they are formed in the “in-between” moments. Whispering after lights out, walking to the mess hall, waiting for a turn on the dock; this is where true friendship lives.
The End of Boredom
At first, a boy without a phone might feel bored. Good. Boredom is the birthplace of creativity. Within two days, that boredom turns into a card game, a made-up sport, or a funny skit. They remember how to play.
The Sound of Winaukee If you could stand in the middle of our Mainland campus, you would hear something wonderful. You wouldn’t hear the ding of notifications or the soundtrack of a video game.
You would hear shouting. Laughter. Cheering. The splash of water. The sound of 150 boys being fully, loudly, unapologetically present with one another.
Give your son the gift of a digital detox. He might complain about leaving the phone at home, but we promise you that by day two, he won’t even miss it.
