How does Wellspring handle homesickness?
Students enroll at Wellspring Academies for a relatively limited period of time. It is highly likely that your child’s enrollment at Wellspring is his or her best opportunity to embark on a new and healthier path. Students also have a great time at Wellspring. But some – particularly younger students – struggle in the first few days with homesickness. In fact, the most common challenge we encounter at Wellspring is not difficulty with food, activity, weight loss or behavioral change, but rather homesickness. In our experience, the best way to address homesickness is immersion in the program. Once students are enjoying exciting activities and making friends, homesickness abates very quickly. At the same time, the most challenging day for many Wellspring students is the first phone call; when students first communicate with parents, their thoughts turn to home, and what they are missing there. Parents should also be aware that, for any child, being away from home increases anxiety. For a
