Sleeping away
August 5, 2012Henry went to sleepaway camp for the first time last year. He was gone for two weeks, and let me tell you, those two weeks were a giddy thrill ride of unbearable anxiety and mild to moderate fretting/longing. I missed my kid so much it physically hurt, and although Scott and I enjoyed going out and having grown-up fun (not a euphemism) with fellow adults (friends! platonic friends!), it almost didn't make up for all the discomfort. It was often painful, and I considered whether I needed daily therapy, or an hourly meditation practice, or for someone to come along and bop me on the head with a mallet.
Part of the anxiety was due to the fact that Henry promised and swore he'd write and then we did not receive any correspondence until, oh, the day before we picked him up. While I told myself his radio silence was due to his extreme fun-having, and if anything had gone wrong surely the camp would let us know, the nonrational side of me was shrieking, "Call the camp! He wandered into the woods and no one noticed! He's going to be raised by raccoons and even when you find him he will speak Raccoon Talk and he'll have imprinted on his new Raccoon Mother! His new name will be known only to his fellow raccoons! It will be Chrrrhrrfrrrr! But you'll never pronounce it correctly! Where was I going with this!"
Then we got a letter from him, and it was happy and carefree. I was then able to enjoy the last 24 or so hours before we picked him up, and boy, did I make that time count! (I don't think I really did. I can't recall.)
The point of this is that he had a great time, the greatest time of his life ever, and he's spent the year longing for the carefree days of camp. Which made sending him this year a much easier decision, and a far less painful experience for us. We decided to send him this year for a month, mostly because 1) his best friend was also going for a month, and 2) who wants to be in Brooklyn in the dead of summer, when the world smells like garbage? I know I'd rather not be here.
This weekend was Visiting Day (which the one-month campers have after two weeks), and we were dying to get our hands on our (probably) grubby camper. He gave us a tour of the place, and we took him out for lunch and dessert. And then ice cream. And then we tried to get him a toy at the toy store, but all he wanted was a rock. A polished rock, but still. Kid's gone native. I shouted "DON'T BE A RACCOON" but he just stared at me. He's already forgetting our human language!
He's got another two weeks. It's pretty great, knowing what a good time he's having, out there in the woods. But we miss him, you know, a little.
Reader Comments (25)
Holy wow. He looks exactly like you.
I always imagine that I will be THRILLED when my kids are old enough to go away to camp for a week or four, but I'm pretty sure when it happens I won't be. I was away from them for a week earlier this year. While most of it was fun, when my husband picked me up from the airport, and I saw the girls in their carseats in back, I almost burst into tears.
We don't have this type of thing in Australia that I know of. Why not I wonder?
Quite sure I could never do this. Nope. Not gonna happen.
Awesome fedora! Kid's got style.
That boy is just straight-up, uncut beautiful.
Holy hell he looks like you! That's a good thing. My daughter refused to return this year (she did a week away last year). She loved the days immensely, but at night, the teen counselors would scare them with ghost stories. Although my daughter has heard the tale about Old Man Clutch since she was fairly little, I suppose it is a tad bit different when you are in the woods sleeping beside a dilapidated shack that people are telling you is where he was found dead. We're looking into other camps for next summer.
Isn't it a wonderful feeling to tell your subconscious to stuff it? That he is indeed not a raccoon?
Camp rocks. He will love you for letting him do this. Hang in there.
Great photo! He looks so happy. And you've given me hope I might be able to calm my anxious mind enough to let my eldest go to camp next summer. Or maybe the summer after that. Or maybe never ...
Good for you, trusting Henry enough to do his own thing and let him be. I only hope I can release my kids from my kung fu grip and be that brave one day.
Oh, Alice, you're my hero. Your bravery shall be my guiding light. Mine are only 3 and 6 months and I'm already trying to build up summer camp courage.
I just read an article about summer camps that now have daily emails and (gah!) web cams so you can watch your kids the whole time. It obviously appeals to the crazy side, but I think I'm gonna go with the pep-talks over the web cams.
I was just about to comment on the same article Sarah Berry mentioned...I think it was in a very recent issue of Time. It doesn't sound like Henry's camp has web cams or computers at the door of each cabin or scans handwritten letters to you. Ugh. Too much. Let the kids be. Go Henry! That smile says it all!
Wow. I am amazed. My boy is eight and I can't imagine us ever reaching that level of independence. I hope the journey takes us there eventually.
I have to say, I wish the camp at least posted the occasional picture on its website. That's about all I'd like, though. So no, they don't have web cams, and no one sends emails. They're awfully old-school.
That is one good-lookin' kid. And happy, which makes the face even more lookin' good.
You are such a wonderful writer. Just wanted to let you know that you're one of my word heroes. xxoo
Sleep-away camp provided some of the best, most fondly remembered times of my own childhood. Go you for giving that to Henry!
We sent our oldest to a full month of sleepaway this summer, too. She's 10. It's her third sleepaway summer, first time for a whole month. And I have two other children at home who are, like, spares, so I think it's easier to say sayonara for a whole month.
I never went to sleepaway camp, and I blame all of my current problems on that fact. It's so so so good for my daughter. In so many ways. And then she will grow up and have zero problems.
Nicole, your logic is unassailable!
I just asked Meredith (who is nine) if she would enjoy a month away from home. (To my knowledge, St. Louis offers nothing like this. I may be mailing my children to you next summer.) Her answer? "But then what happens when you're old and I say, 'Hey! Do you remember hanging out with me in August of 2012?' and you won't. Because YOU DIDN'T." (I still wear her around the house in a gigantic Maya Wrap...) I'm convinced that month long camps make kids just a bit more confident and awesome. (I can see from the (cute x 100) photo that Henry is already there.)
Whenever you're sad, watch the Henry "cookie-eating" video that you and Scott made mimicking Henry. In fact, also repost the link here so I can watch it again; that's some funny stuff!!! :) <3
Found it! http://vimeo.com/m/5227348
Sounds like he's having a way better time at camp than I ever did...all I recall is singing a song about calamine lotion. And having to run around playing stupid games all day, when I would've rather been reading. Not much has changed really...I'd still rather read on vacation than play stupid games. Once a nerd, always a nerd!
i am having anxiety just thinking about camp now. i remember 6th grade camp and that was FOREVER ago. kids were kissing back then...i can not imagine what they do now. i think joining a raccoon family sounds like the better option. lol. my son is 22mo old and i'm pretty sure we won't let him leave us ever. and now i really sound like a crazy person. you guys are two pees in a pod...so cute!
xoxo, jenn
the stylish housewife
He looks just SO much like you, Alice.
These are memories your son will have forever and share with this kids. To be a kid again :))
Aww. I'm sure that I'm going to have that feeling, too. Of course, there are times when our children grate on our nerves but it's not going to EVER discount the fact that they are the best things that happened to our lives. Anyway, I think letting him join camps are great for him to develop his skills in socializing and his fitness. How many times are you going to let him join a camp in a year?