Twenty-six years later, I can still picture myself counting my campers on the bus.

In the summer of 2000, I led the oldest camper division at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. Now 42 years old, many of my campers have children of their own. Yet some part of me still feels deeply responsible for them. Amidst all the sleepless nights and long days, what I remember most is the two weeks of that summer that we spent on the road. I still look back on that time with trepidation, realizing the huge responsibility of being In loco parentis. 

This Latin phrase, In loco parentis, translates as “in the place of a parent”. It is a legal doctrine allowing a non-biological adult or organization to assume some of the rights, duties, and responsibilities of a biological parent. Originating in 1640s English common law, the doctrine allowed schools, universities, guardians, and camps to temporarily assume parental rights, duties, and disciplinary........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)