Camp

Hughes has his first experience with camp this past week other than VBS. He went to O is for Oceans day camp at the Children's Museum. I was a little (okay, a lot) nervous for his first day because I know his personality and how he is not one to jump into an activity. He typically needs more time to warm up and slowly join the group. But, what the heck, we ripped the band-aid and sent him off with two good friends to ease the pain.

I got a phone call around 10 the first day from the director. Hughes was in her office saying he wanted to go home and that he didn't like camp. Thankfully the director was not calling to tell me to come pick him up but instead was calling to ask for his interests and what she could do to make him feel more at ease. I gave her a few suggestions of his favorite things (Scooby Doo, legos, and, oh yeah, his new lunchbag).

She called me back 10 minutes later and said she had asked to see his lunchbag and he had gotten very excited. He talked about the sea turtles on the outside and showed her what I packed him for lunch and then he was ready to go join the group. I hadn't realized that he was so excited about what I packed him until every morning when I was driving carpool he showed Miller and Thomas what was inside. Then it dawned upon me, he has never had a lunchbag where he was responsible for eating independently with a group - I've always been there with him to set his lunch up for him. This was good practice as this school year he will be having lunch at school and using his lunchbag.

Well, he finished the week on a high note and came home every day after Monday telling me that "camp was awesome". He made a koi fish, jellly fish, an ocean in a bottle, and a sea turtle. He had a great time and an awesome first experience with camp! We will definitely be signing up for next year, too. And, I think I'll sign Banks up, too!