Every Summer, because of the densely-populated, highly-busy area in which we live (one instance where residing this close to the Capital of the Free World does NOT prove beneficial), the race to sign kids up for camp swings into gear when the temperature still measures below-freezing. That's right, we parents start trolling websites and quizzing our friends for recommendations in January, while bundled in 3 layers of fleece, wearing fuzzy slippers, and sipping hot coffee. (Okay, maybe that's just me...) Each year I schedule the boys for 2 fun-filled (hopefully) weeks of Day Camps, so they can escape the house, take a little break from each other, and stop driving me absolutely nuts for a few hours. (Wait, was that last part out loud? Oops.) I've always chosen local camps, ones with lots of activities to keep them occupied, and they invariably come home every afternoon reporting how much they enjoyed themselves. (And I get a respite from refereeing--yay, everyone's happy!) This year, however, I noticed an intriguing phenomenon occurring among our family and friends: this happened to be the Summer that nearly every kid we know went off on their own for part of the vacation. Some took solo airplane rides to visit relatives, some attended Sleepaway Camp for the first time...I must have missed the Major Memo on this one, because my children stayed right here in their hometown, like they always do.
So one night in the car, I was musing out loud, and I happened to mention that next Summer Derek and Riley should try Sleepaway Camp for a week or two. Now, I was expecting a response along the lines of: "hmm, okay, we'll think about it", or "tell me more, Mom" or (Heaven forbid) "yes, that sounds awesome!" Instead, what I heard was a simultaneous, emphatic, "NOOOOO!" from the brothers. (Honestly, they sounded so panicked you would have thought I'd suggested sending them to Kiddie Prison Camp...in Iceland.) Frankly, I was shocked by their reaction...Really? Why the heck not? They couldn't really articulate a coherent argument at that time, the best they could offer being "because we don't want to!" Alrighty, then...I dropped it for the moment, but then the next day I of course proceeded to regale them with stories of how much of a blast their buddies had; I even brought up one of the camp's websites to show them all of the super-cool things to do...I think I won Derek over when I reached the part about "all-you-can-eat buffet" meals (not kidding, the boy lives by his stomach). Riley, however, startled us all by bursting into sobs and mumbling something about "not wanting to eat or sleep or shower with strangers." Sigh.
Yes, it became apparent that my little homebody is going to need some serious convincing to leave the nest for a while. Which leads me to the obvious question: have I sheltered them too much? Kept them too tightly wound up in the proverbial apron strings? Not allowed them to explore the Big Wide World quite enough? Well, I'm sooo glad I broached this topic a year ahead of schedule, let me tell you! I have the next 12 months to bolster my fledgelings' confidence and reassure them that they'll be just fine without the Parentals for a few days. (Derek may already be showing signs of succumbing my early attempts at brainwashing--when he returned on Friday from his last session of Day Camp, he wistfully said, "I wish I could go to camp all Summer, it's great." Hold that thought, Sweetie!) Then, when they're on-board with the plan and all revved up to go, Mama can book herself a nice Spa Retreat...I mean Mommy Camp!
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