The Big Day

We just got back from dropping off Steph at sleepaway camp! First there was a lot of waiting in line for registration and the lice-check, but every now and then I'd recognize a parent as someone I went to camp with way back when, or vice-versa. It seems that every kid at this camp is the child of someone I used to know. That was fun.

Then came the hectic part, unpacking all her clothes into her cubbies and making up her bunkbed and finding places for all her other stuff. And then . . . we left! No tears, but she (and probably Andy and I too) looked a little forlorn as we left.

It's strange because although she's our oldest child and seems so big to us, she's in the youngest group (9- and 10-year-olds) up there—and she did seem awfully young and small as we drove away!

I wish I could be a fly on the cabin wall right now—or maybe not, come to think of it. It's probably better if I just assume that everything's going well, rather than having to know about every less-than-perfect moment. I just keep thinking, What if she can't find where we unpacked something? What if I forgot to pack something important? What if she hates the food? What if her colitis flares up? What if someone's mean to her? What if it never stops raining? Nah, how about, What if she loves camp as much as I did and wants to go back for 10 summers in a row? 

Comments

[LPD]

Oh man... what timing: We're dropping ours off next week, for a decidedly shorter period, but still. Thanks for the lump in my throat. :)

[Joel]

My wife and I are among the nameless, faceless rabble of 40-somethings with no children. While we are enjoying a long weekend in Toronto to see "The Police" reunion concert, there will never be anything we can experience that approximates yours parents. This is not to be in any way snarky or sarcastic, but to say that we the childless do envy those of you who have kids to share these experiences. Love of husband-wife is profound, but love of husband-wife-child is timeless. We spent three hours at the Toronto Zoo today marveling at the animals, but I far prefer the opportunity to see such things through the unjaded eyes of a child. For instance, a brother telling a younger sister that she'd get "monkey butt" if she didn't keep scratching her's all the time. Or that "alligators make better friends than shoes". Out of the mouths of babes...

[Lynn Loomis]

Audrey had her first overnight camp experience this summer as well. She was only gone five nights, but we missed her horribly. She did fine, but did get very homesick. I got a letter the night before we were supposed to get her that said "Come get me now!"

She is glad she did it and says she'll do it again next summer.........but five nights is enough for her. Honestly, I never thought I would see the day she would go to any camp. She is the one who is the clingiest.......still!

[Peter C.]

I'm way too overprotective to send my kids to overnight camp. But it would provide for a nice break, wouldn't it?