Remember when I told you that Camp Manitou-Lin had an open house on Sunday? I hadn’t ever visited before, and I wanted to check it out. A.P. and I headed down and despite the rain, quite a few people were there.
I was all ready for “the “sign here” pitch. I figured a camp open house would consist of people trying to sell camp sessions directly to kids with their parents standing right there; then leaving us to deal with the fallout if we have to say no. I can’t blame parents that fork over cash just to get their kid to stop crying. It’s horrible.
There was no pitch.
It was truly an open house. It was all about checking out the camp. And check out the camp, we did.
Of course A.P. was in love with every activity. I met the actual people who would be his counselors if he goes to camp. I watched them interact with him, and with other kids. They were fun, and firm, and amazing.
A.P. is ready for camp. The question was whether or not I am ready for camp.
On his first day of 3 year old preschool, he waved goodbye to me and marched into the classroom. So much to explore…
I cried – but why? Did I want him to miss me? To think he can’t do without me for a few hours? No, of course not. It’s because he was going to have experiences that I wasn’t going to be there for. I wanted to see him learn, and sit in circle time, and sing little 3 year old preschool songs. I didn’t want to miss it.
I knew he would be fine. I knew his teachers cared about him. I knew it was the very first step in a long journey of watching him wave goodbye and march off to experience things I wouldn’t see.
I did not sign up at the Camp Manitou-Lin open house. It was available, but no one pushed me at all, which I appreciated. My husband and I had a chance to talk it over, and then decided it was a go.
A.P. is thrilled.
Maybelle did not go with us to the open house, but A.P. told her about:
- The camp store.
- The crafts.
- The horseback riding.
He had her at camp store.
Maybelle does NOT want to sleep there (which is good, because she’s 5 and she can’t anyway) but wants to go during the day and come home and sleep in her own bed at night.
I have met the counselors. I trust the counselors. I know it is a good camp. I know A.P. will wave good bye, and march into Camp Manitou-Lin, and have experiences I can’t see. I know his sister will follow him, and have an incredible time at day camp, and be glad to come home at night.
Camp Manitou-Lin is an advertiser on Big Binder. All opinions, and separation issues with my firstborn, are my own.
Jen, how were the costs. I really want to send Noah to camp this sumemr but trying to figure out a way to finance it. Was it reasonable?
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It’s our one ‘big’ summer spend. For what they get it was reasonable, but they also have a financial assistance program too.
There are actually quite a few different programs, I think we are going to do the overnight camp but it’s not the full week. They’re all offered on different dates, so you have to look and see if the program you want is offered when you go. If you click on the big Camp Manitou-lin picture, then go to “Summer Camps and Camp Programs” it has more information about it.
Let me know if you guys go – maybe we could do the same week!
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