sum-sum-summer camp!
As I write this, the house is more quiet than usual. It’s naptime here which is the time of day when pace slows, the little ones sleep and everyone is quiet. Everyone, that is, except my two oldest daughters who get to play “quietly” together in their rooms while the rest of us nap. Today, however, my oldest is “far” away at summer camp so my next oldest has had to play alone today.
We dropped off my daughter last night for her first ever sleep-away camp experience. She has been nothing but excited in the months and weeks leading up to the camp. Even though we couldn’t find a friend to go with her, she has shown no qualms about spending three nights and two days away without us. Hearing her enthusiasm for swimming in the lake and making s’mores, as well as remembering my own summer camp experience, has helped me to be excited for her as well.
I was appropriately excited for her until it came time to pack up her stuff. I held the list as we carefully arranged everything in her suitcase. Picking out her outfits, socks, shoes and swimming suits, a notebook and a book to read were just fine with me. Then it came time for the sunscreen and the bug repellent.
Wait! Would the counselor make sure she was adequately covered in sunscreen, even those tricky places around her eyes? My daughter has a tendency to pull away right when it is time to put sunscreen on her face. Would her counselor be firm enough with her to make sure she didn’t get a sunburned face?
What about the bug repellent? There’s no way my daughter will know to spray herself all over her body! Would the counselor make sure she had just enough on to keep away the bugs without having so much that we will need to detox her from repellent by the time she gets home?
We also had to pack soap and shampoo. My daughter’s experience with shampooing herself has meant she leaves the shower with a head full of shampoo. Who will make sure it all gets rinsed out properly?
My daughter doesn’t like many vegetables…who will make sure she eats at least one serving of vegetables each day? I won’t be there to tell her she doesn’t get dessert unless she eats them. Just who is going to be in charge during this summer camp experience, anyway?
I have never viewed myself as one of those “helicopter moms.” You can ask her school teachers. I keep a respectful distance from the school, only showing up when it is appropriate. At conferences, I only ask appropriate questions about her education and her social life. If I have to ask anything at all that seems like it might be close to crossing the line, I am apologetic and respectful. Doesn’t this mean that I am nowhere close to being too controlling?
Then why the sudden freak-out about my daughter’s being gone at summer camp? Apparently there are some things that I value pretty highly when it comes to my daughter’s well-being. Sending her away, even for a short time, means relinquishing control of those values, or even, (gasp!) trusting that I have instilled those values in my daughter to a degree that she will carry them out on her own free will.
Maybe this summer camp experience is something we both need. I (obviously!) need to practice letting go. My daughter needs practice being on her own and enjoying the independence and freedom I know she craves.
I’m just thankful we have a few more years to go before we drop her off at college…
When Melanie isn’t freaking out about sunscreen she is blogging at tales from the crib and reviews from the crib. You may also find her tweets at @mmmyatt.
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Category: Chicago, Mom Challenges
[...] summer will provide the first overnight camping experience my tween boys have ever had. As a mom, it’s normal to worry about them when they are away, especially this first year. But, of course, normal worries include things like, are they getting [...]