Camp Mom

It’s middle of October so what is everyone talking about, thinking about and preparing for? For camp! Insanity if you ask me. It seems so hard to believe that we need to make plans for June in October. I do know that before I know it, June will be here.

Where will Drew go to camp? It’s a tough one. First of all, Drew does not deal with change well. Every child struggles to some degree but it seems to take Drew a significant amount of time to acclimate to new teachers, new friends, and new routines. So the idea of changing that all up after we have just started getting into a rhythm at school makes my skin crawl.

Then there’s the activities that camps do. I completely understand the value of teaching your kids to swim. Drew has taken swim classes several times. I am not happy about sending my little man to swim under the supervision of others. I realize that I can’t protect him forever but it seems like it’s unnecessary at this stage of the game. And yes, he will be four in June but I don’t know what four year old Drew will be like. I only know three year old Drew.

And what about the expense???? These camps range from $800 to $3000 for 8 weeks! I understand the value of sending a ten year old to an expensive camp that offers a variety of activities and has a wide range of resources. You could hand Drew a bat and a ball and he will be busy for hours. His needs are pretty minimal at this point. Of course I don’t know how he’ll be in June but I’m gathering based on how he has been so far.

July 1 was my first day as being a stay at home mom. I have had such a short time to spend with him. And before I know it he will be in kindergarten, first grade and so on. From then on out he will be a part of an all encompassing schedule that will carve out very little mommy time. I’m just not ready for this level of commitment. When would we go to the beach? When would we have picnics? When would we go on nature walks?

Of course keeping him busy will probably give me tons of blogging material, not to mention undue anxiety. But that’s a price I’m willing to pay! I’m unwilling to go back to those days where I pay someone a boatload to enjoy all the fun things with my son without me. He’s too young, these are my days. They are limited and I’m supposed to be the one enjoying them, or going crazy with them, but they are mine nonetheless!!!

So there will be no Banner, Apachi, Henry Horner, Decoma, Jay’s Camps this summer. I’m going out on a limb here and saying no fancy camps in June of 2012 and I’m saying it in October 2011!!! It’s going to be Camp Mom! Don’t worry I haven’t flown completely of the handle and I will find SOME camp. I wouldn’t be crazy enough to think I could handle entertaining him five days a week!