Slowing Down

My son really does not want to go to summer camp this year. The very words "summer camp" bring tears to his eyes and send him running into my arms. Having the exact opposite effect, "no camp this summer" sends a shudder of fear down my spine. It is all very, very annoying this fussing over camp and I am kind of frustrated by it. And summer has not even begun yet.

My mother survived much of every summer by simply sending my little brother and I outside to play. All day, every day, we were allowed back inside for lunch, bathroom breaks and band aids. Every summer there was a week or two where she managed to pull together enough money to send the two of us to the town summer program-where we would play outside all day and be allowed under the canopy with the teenage camp counselors for band aids, drinks of watered down Gatorade and to tattle on anyone pushing another person down the water slide.

My husband and I agree that it is not such a bad thing to let our son have the summer off, especially right now while I am working from home in between diaper changes and chauffeuring to activities. Our middle one is the poster child for over scheduled these days. He is a high energy kid, so much so that sometimes we forget what he most needs is to be reminded to slow down and take a break. So we will see how the summer goes without it-there is always Camp Grandma and Grandpa. Our community has lots of cheap to free drop in activities and a great summer reading program. Between those things and lots of art supplies and lemonade, I am sure we will soldier through.

When I stand in the kitchen and flip over my wall calendar to July there is a bunch of empty squares with little other than recycling dates penciled in. Looking ahead, it almost feels relaxing, all those unscheduled days. However, in case things change, I am saving the summer camp guide. Also like my mother I am saving for camp, and will put the money to the side, just in case.