Camp and quiet

This week my daughter Aspen went on camp. It wasn’t her first camp, she had a school camp last year for 2 nights. She loved it. It was one of those outdoorsy adventure camps. Lots of fun activities and games, just her type of thing. The only thing she struggled with was the nights, she needed a little extra TLC from the teachers. She had only just turned 10 at the time.

So when it came to this camp, she and I should have both felt more prepared right? Well yes and no. She is still only 10, even if turning 11 is only a month away. It was only 2 nights away again, and only an hour and a bit away from their school by bus.

This camp was a little different though. You see this was a school musical camp. Which is great, I love that she is musical and love that she has committed to being in this years school musical. But her school goes from age 5, all the way up to age 18. The musical is mostly high school children, and this is what worried me. It wasn’t like last year where she was with kids her own age, she was going away with the big kids!

The good news is she had a great group of friends on this camp too. There was six of her close friends also on this camp. I felt relieved knowing she would at least be able to sleep in a room with other 10 year old girls. It didn’t really hit me until I dropped her off at the school bus depot and saw groups of teenage boys loading their bags onto the bus. I suddenly thought “oh my gosh, do I really want my very pretty pre-teen daughter going on a camp with older boys?” Not to mention these older girls who might be setting an example that I didn’t want set for a few years yet.

I was hoping for more of this

than this

For 3 days and 2 nights I hoped my daughters innocent ears would remain intact. I respect the staff of the school, and the older children always seem polite and respectful, but still 3 days without my baby (well baby to me), can seem like a long time for a mummy who worries a little too much!

I must say though it was so peaceful in our house for 3 days, (sorry does that make me a bad mum saying that?) It is amazing the difference between the noise of 3 children, compared to the noise of 2. Aspen is also usually the one at the dinner table who never stops talking too. For a while the peace and quiet is so refreshing, but then you start to miss her noise and her never ending hugs.

Adam who fights with her the most, started crying the minute her bus left. I was putting on his seat belt and his little lip dropped, his big blue eyes welled with tears, “I am going to miss Aspy”, he sad through tears. April is always lost without her big sister, she adores her. Actually they adore each other, bed time is full of whispers and giggles. They share a room, not because they have to, they actually like each others company. Adam decided to have a sleep over in Aspen’s bed, and they divided up Aspen’s teddy bears to sleep with. Very cute.

After 3 days, we had heard no news from the camp, always a great sign. April and I went to pick her up. I waited anxiously for the bus to roll in, 30 minutes late, it did. It was cute to see all the ‘little’ kids waving madly at their parents, the parents waving back excitedly. The older kids didn’t wave, and neither did their parents, clearly they have learned not to embarrass their children!

Aspen got off the bus and ran excitedly towards me, scooped the puppy Holly out of my arms squealing “I missed you Holly!” What? Hey, what about your mother, you know the one who carried you for 9 months and birthed you, then cleaned your bottom, bathed you, fed you . . . . ? Finally she acknowledged my existence and I got a lovely big hug. As we hopped into the car, she called out “bye Chloe”, then smiled at me and said, “I know her, she’s in year 12”. Great!

On the half hour drive home she didn’t stop talking, “yep”, I thought, “Aspen’s back”. She gave April, Holly and I the complete low down on all the camp gossip. I was happy to hear her innocent chatter, all great news. She had an amazing time. We arrive home and I have to sit patiently as she retells the exact same stories to her father and brother. But that’s my girl, the chatterbox, and very cute! So nice to have her noisy self back home.

Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx