Summer Camp

This is Grace's first year at summer day camp.  We heard about the camp through another parent at school and registered her in February (yes, 4 months ahead of time). 

It will not surprise those of you who know me so well to learn that I was a little worried about many things.  Would she would know anyone there and how would she fit in (she knows several kids and has fit in great).  I was worried about the camper to counselor ratio (which I learned was really quite low).  I was worried about whether she would be bored (she's not). I was worried about whether the counselors would put enough sunscreen on her (for the most part, pretty good on that one). I will say I was excited about the full size pool where she would take lessons every day - but of course that worried me too (she loves being in the pool and swims three times a day). 

But, in usual Grace fashion, she has loved camp from day 1 and has met new friends and enjoyed seening some old friends from her preschool days.  She particularly loves the fact that she gets to buy a junk food snack every day (see my previous post on the Hostess Cupcake).  And she has a killer tan (despite the multiple applications throughout the day of SPF 70+).

Bruno and I never went to summer camp every day like Grace does.  My mom would sign me up for all kinds of activities - you name it, I tried it.  But our summer days were much different than being at a camp all day.  Sometimes it's hard for us to reconcile that Grace's sense of "normal" is very different than what our sense of "normal" was.  My mom didn't work when I was little (well, she worked raising us but didn't have a job outside of the home) and so she was home when I got off the school bus and she was home in the summer.  I didn't know any kids who went to camp all day long.  Bruno's parents worked different shifts so that one parent would be home at all times.  Bruno and I enjoyed our childhoods and we want the same happiness for Grace. 

I'm glad we found a summer camp where she can be happy and be a kid for the summer!