My 11 year old goes away to camp today. We’re dropping her off in a few hours at a Girl Scout campsite about an hour away from here. She will spend a week there swimming, doing crafts, cooking over the campfire and hopefully making lots of new friends. She will be without electricity, flushing toilets and without me, her Mom.
She will be fine, I know, and I am very proud of her for wanting to go to this camp alone – without knowing a soul. She likes to have her own private and safe adventures and I really think that is cool.
For me, it is bittersweet life event. She’ll be growing up and encountering things during her time there that I’ll never know. She’ll be changed by the experience in some way for a good long while and I’ll not bear witness to it. She’ll alter her thinking, expand her horizons and become a little bit older without me there to hold her hand, clean her scrapes, comfort her fears and tuck her in at night.
She’ll be fine, I know. That is not my worry. I just don’t want to miss anything…
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I just popped over from The Fountain Pen and wanted to say I really like your design and layout. Very unique.
Oh yes! I remember dropping them at camp. Both of mine were enthusisastic about going, hopelessly homesick initially, wrote alarming letters to that effect (Abby’s announcing that she wasn’t getting enough “proteen” and they were starving her) and by the time I called in a panic asking if I should pick them up they were off happily engaged in water sports. After that first bout of homesickness they both LOVED camp and have very fond memories of it.
But yes, bittersweet for you- one more in a string of goodbyes and separations that seem t go on forever. Enjoy the peace of one less child in the house; that’s the only way to deal with it.
I just picked mine up from her first camp adventure on Friday. She wouldn’t. shut. up. I swear, I know more now than I did before she left! Camp turned her into a chatterbox!!
She’ll have a blast.
I can imagine the feeling, though. I have a hard enough time with Kindergarten.
Speaking as the mother of grown daughters that are old enough to have their own daughters this post was poignant and sweet. I can relate to the feelings really well now that we have an empty nest. I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers this next week.
I’m with Raehan. And I’d like to say, “Wait ’til she’s a teenager and then you won’t be able to pack her off fast enough!”, but that’s not exactly true. My girls just left today for two weeks and I’m bereft.
It was very hard for me the first time my son went off to camp. I felt like the house was so quiet and empty while he was away. I really missed him. I hope she has a wonderful time. I hope you can enjoy the quiet and not worry too much.
_ (”
Š from da Raggedy one
Have a wonderful day!
*^_^
(=’:'=) meow hugs
(”
*
When I was a kid going off to camp, I never thought once about how my parents must have felt. And when I got back, they never told me. I think I’m missing something….
I know exactly how you feel. I drop #1 Son off tomorrow.
I know they will be fine, but I want to be a fly on the wall…
LBC
Oh!!! girl scout * we call it girl guide* camp. I can still remember every minute of it! Giggling till we were told to go to sleep, the fire flies. The great sense of accomplishment of cooking our meals on the campfire. The CAMPFIRE SONGS!!! The laughs we had putting up our very large very heavy green tents. Ahhh memories
However….. my mom and aunt were our girl guide leaders… they were with me. Your girl is going to have an AWESOME time!
She’ll love it and you’ll love to have her back… they grow up way too fast! :swimming:
I still have fond memories of girl scout camp. All three of my daughters went as well. I assume they have good memories too as they aked to go back every year.
Aw, they grow up so fast! You’re such a wonderful mom for supporting her.
Zed left for a week in Colorado on Saturday. My phone hasn’t rang yet. Granted, my mom is on that trip with him, but still…
In other news, Elle called last night after just 24 hours away from home, missing Nick and I. I’ll see her on Thursday, but it still hurt my heart.
(here via Hoss). My two just arrived at Our Cabana (the Girl Guide/Scout World Center in Mexico) … it’s the farthest and longest (two weeks) that they ever been away from home. I’m excited AND nervous about it!