If it were up to me, I would be wiping my kids’ butts and tying their shoes until they’re 14. I’m such a doer, it often doesn’t even occur to me to teach them something until I realize they’re suddenly too old to have me brushing their teeth or putting on their shoes.
Thank goodness my husband is the teacher, the independence maker — probably because he wants them out of the house at 18, whereas if it were up to me, they’d be living under our roof for at least 10 more years. I’m not proud of this; I know it holds them back. Fostering independence and confidence in a child is crucial to their self-esteem, and I want to do better.
So, when I suggested sleepaway camp to my 7-year-old son, Archer, I was surprised at his enthusiasm and eagerness to stay away from home for six days straight. Tubing, archery, BB guns, ziplining, roasting marshmallows… he couldn’t wait and told anyone within earshot where he was going this summer, weeks before his departure date. Myself, I wasn’t too nervous. I wanted to give him an experience that I never had as a child, and I knew he would be in good hands at YMCA Camp Immokalee, an amazing summer overnight camp that has been successfully running for well over 100 years. Several mom friends sent their kids and loved it. Plus, a break from playing Minecraft for hours on end can only be a good thing.
READ: Here’s What Happened When We Sent Our Son to Sleepaway Camp
I diligently read the Packing List, the Family Handbook, the First-Time Families Guide… several times over. I knew homesickness was common. I put together a care package and wrote daily letters to be delivered, keeping them positive — less “I miss you so much!” and more “I hope you’re having the best time!”
Camp starts with rising 2nd graders, so I knew my son would be on the younger end. I made things easy by packing each day’s outfit and pajamas in separate Ziploc baggies. I knew one other Jax Mom contributor would be sending her 9-year-old son for the first time, so we set up a playdate for them to meet beforehand. All was perfectly in place, and we drove the two hours to Keystone Heights to drop him off. On the way, Archer confessed that he was a little bit nervous — but mostly excited.
Dropoff went great, Archer couldn’t wait to tell us goodbye (in fact, he barely said goodbye at all!). I loved meeting his counselors, and the cabin was so cozy. In order to ensure a smooth camp experience for the kiddos, they aren’t allowed to call, text, or email for the entire week, but they do upload hundreds of photos nightly to an app for the parents. And we can send an email to check in, if we’d like. Upon returning home, I refreshed the photo app repeatedly. I jumped out of my skin when the first set of photos came through, and I scoured each and every one — zooming into each photo as if searching for the elusive Waldo of the Where’s Waldo books. Where’s Archer? Where’s my baby?
Then I saw him. In my mama heart, I thought he looked sad, as if he’d been crying. And why was his swim shirt hanging around his neck like a bandana? A mystery. It was gut-wrenching to see the photos and not know what he was thinking or feeling. That first night, I prayed. I cried. I texted friends. I binge-watched Bridgerton to get my mind off the what-ifs swirling through my head. And I emailed the camp director to check in, holding my breath while awaiting a response. I immediately was able to relax when she wrote back, “Just talked to one of Archer’s counselors. He said Archer is a little homesick but that is totally normal. He is having a fun time with his cabin and in his activities.” Whew. He’s okay. He’s not completely devastated and crying in the corner. And I knew that if anything were really bad, the camp would contact me.
READ: Summer Camps In & Around Jacksonville
The next day, I saw a photo where his chin looked a little bloody and scraped. Again, the thoughts swirled through my head. Did one of the older boys push him? Lemme at him! But I refrained from sending an email. I found a YMCA Camp Immokalee Families Facebook group and shared my worries. I was met with reassurance from dozens of other parents who’d been in my first-timer boat before. “The photos are just moments in time and usually don’t mean anything,” they said. Excellent point.
But then I noticed that he was wearing the same thing for five days straight. Despite packing six outfits, two swimsuits, and extra clothes, he wore the same long-sleeved green swim shirt day in and day out, even during the camp dance under a button-down. Why? The what-ifs returned. It occurred to me that maybe he couldn’t take it off by himself because it was too tight, and he was too embarrassed to ask for help. I assumed he slept in it. It became “the mysterious saga of the green swim shirt” to anyone who would listen.
Then finally the big day came. Pick-up day. With tears in my eyes, we drove to sleepaway camp, and I knew all my questions would soon be answered. Upon seeing us, he ran up and before giving hugs, he couldn’t wait to tell us, “MOM! DAD! I went turbo-tubing, 50 miles-per-hour, and it was awesome! And I made four friends who also like Minecraft!” He was SO happy. He’d made friends! He looked like he’d been crying in that first photo because he had been crying — he tried to jump over a log, tripped, and scraped his chin. He wore a swim shirt around his neck to help stop the bleeding when it happened. The tears that I thought I saw on his chin were a bandage. He wore the green shirt every day because “it’s my favorite color and it looks cool.” He changed into his pajamas for bed. In another photo, he wasn’t sadly confiding his woes to a camp counselor, he was photographed playing a card game. And apparently, it’s pretty common for kids to wear the same thing over and over again with no parents to tell them otherwise. (Though the counselors are diligent about ensuring that the kids shower nightly!)
Oh. My. Goodness. Lesson learned. Don’t assume the worst, Tina! (Story of my life.) I realized some things that day. Needlessly spiraling accomplishes nothing. I cannot solve all of my kids’ problems 24/7 — and if I try to, it will make them less capable in the long run. And what seems like a problem, usually isn’t. Archer said sleepaway camp was equal parts fun and hard. He loved the activities but also missed us. A LOT. He was one of only two 7-year-old boys there, the youngest of the bunch. Upon coming home, I noticed him walking a little taller, with more confidence. He was proud of what he’d done, and it was obvious. And to be honest, I was also pretty proud of myself, too. (But I’ll be sure to pack fewer outfits next time.)
LEARN MORE ABOUT CAMP IMMOKALEE
Summer 2024 Discount for Jax Mom Readers
YMCA Camp Immokalee accepts boys and girls who are rising 2nd graders through rising 10th graders and still has available slots at sleepaway camp for Summer 2024. Themes this summer include the Wizarding World of Immokalee, Color Wars, and Water World. Enroll now and use code JAXMOMS to receive the early bird discount of $225!
