Sunday, July 20, 2008

So sad

Kaz is once again going to sleepover camp, over my very strong objections. He leaves Tuesday, and will spend the next three weeks hanging out with a bunch of rich kids in the woods, who frankly have no idea how privileged they are.

Admittedly this is very different camp than last year. It's not quite so rustic and not a boys only camp, and I've had several discussions with the camp directors about all the medication concerns---but they still don't get it. They think he can get it late in the morning and it won't matter. Sigh....so I am left praying and wringing my hands and hoping my baby will be okay.

Most of all I will miss him terribly. I *hate* sleepaway camps with a passion, because after everything I've been through to have my kids, I do not want to hand them over to be raised by someone else. Day camp is one thing, it's not a long day and I get to see them for the other 10 hours they are awake but for a parent like me, this kind of camp is hell.

I know---kids love it, and I'm sure many of you loved camp yadda yadda yadda. But just because kids want something doesn't make it good for them or a part of their families value system. Should children get everything they want? Hardly....

Mac isn't going away this year, so I still have him. And Julius of course. I guess I just can't picture life without Kaz here. My husband is just fine with him going, happy even.

I guess I have to thank my lucky stars that we didn't rent another cottage this year. After all, there are only so many disasters one person can take per summer right? Right.

Going to go hug my baby now....sniff sniff....

9 comments:

  1. I'm surprised he's going after last summer's disaster. Did Kaz really want to go (though, as you say, that shouldn't be determinative)? Or was this mostly Mr. C's idea?

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  2. It was mostly Mr.Cotta's idea, but he made it sound great to Kaz, and then he saw the DVD I got. I'll admit, knowing that this was coming, I investigated some camps, and checked out which ones were *less* horrible than others and got their packages.

    I do take Kaz's preferences into account, and if he said he never wanted to go again I'd bar the door, but he did want to try another one, just not that one.

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  3. Yes, no more broken anythings and mosquitos and gracious knows what else!! I do hope Kaz has fun though.

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  4. I remember when we took V's daughter to camp the two years we sent her, she had to take her asthma meds daily. When we handed them in, they were given to the staff that managed the nurses office. They were very good in that they would set up a table (or something) at each meal, so she was required to check in with them at breakfast each day to use her puffer. I believe they even followed up if she didn't show. Any chance you can have your conversation with the nurse on staff about his meds rather than a counsellor or camp director?

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  5. oh poor mummy. you know I am totally neurotic about handing my kids over to anyone so I feel for you.

    give julius a smooch from me.

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  6. Pam, this is the exact problem...they have the nurse do it, but she doesn't give out meds until 9:00, and he needs the concerta by 7:00 am or he will stay up late that night. It is a very long acting drug...

    Thing is, they don't worry about it there, since most parents just give the meds at any ol' time and then just get mad when the kid stays up late. I'm the weirdo who reads the instruction label on the meds I guess.

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  7. I can't see why they can't accommodate his needs unless they have some insurance issue re only a nurse can do the meds. Maybe they figure it doesn't matter so much to them if he is up late as kids in camp tend to do that anyway?

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  8. Oh man - I know how you feel. I'll be damned if I'm going to give up ANY of the precious one-on-one time I have left w/MY boy...
    [After all, in a couple of years he probably won't want to even be in the same ROOM as uncool Mommy, I'm soakin' up every drop of this sweet pre-teen boy-ness that I can!]

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  9. Ace only goes to day camp, albeit an hour bus ride away, but I can't help notice that it robs him of his little boyness every year. So sad.

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