5th grade camp - here we COME!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
5th grade camp - here we COME!
6
Sat, 09-30-2006 - 5:54pm

It is finally here. mike leaves monday morning for 5th grade camp. SNIFFFF. I am going to miss the bugger but it really is a once in a lifetime chance for him. He is so excited and so am I. pray the meds work for him and he has a good week. I have never been away from him for that long. I only know it will be OK because I trust his teacher and aide, plus Cait had the TIME of her life 2 years ago.

We bought him a canteen, disposable camera, travel size toiletries, and some new socks today. He is wearing the canteen everywhere. Everything else we had but I am a mad woman doing laundry and writing his name on everything.

UGH, I am SOOOOO going to need wine next week.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2003
Sat, 09-30-2006 - 11:11pm
Hi there last year my oldest went to 5th grade camp.I was so nervous about him going.I wish I could have gone too but I couldn't.I had his younger brother to take care of.Now when David is old enough to go to camp in about 3 1/2 years ours is
Lilypie 6th to 18th Ticker Lilypie 6th to 18th Ticker
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 09-30-2006 - 11:17pm

Yeah,

Cait went 2 years ago and it was the time of her life. She was bouncing when I went to pick her up and once she came down from the "camp high" I think she slept for 2 days.

Ours won't let parents go. It is a big independence thing. The teachers go and the counselors are great. There are always parents who worry, etc but this time there was no question that Mike was going. I knew how great it was for his sister.

Plus, honest, this is Mike's one REAL chance to go to a camp with his NT peers and be accepted and cared for in a way that I know he will be ok. No way he could go in anyother situation so it is highly unlikely he will ever have this opportunity again. I am excited for him.

Ours is usually in spring but this year the district changed the state testing window last minute at the end of last year. They changed it to right when the kids were scheduled for Camp so they had to reschedule camp and this was the week that was left.

I am glad they are going in the fall. Cait learned so much and grew up so much. It will be a good way to start his year. Plus if he ends up having tons of trouble this year there could be a situation where he wouldn't be able to go. You just never know. He was already starting to struggle. I am glad they are going when he is still doing well enough that he can.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2003
Sat, 09-30-2006 - 11:28pm
The way the camp is set up they have to have parent's come along.We just have to pay our own camp fee.The reason is they wouldn't be able to go to camp as they need a certain number of people for so many campers.We had 80 kids go to camp last year.We only have 4 teachers and one school counselor and one nurse
Lilypie 6th to 18th Ticker Lilypie 6th to 18th Ticker
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
Sun, 10-01-2006 - 8:31am

Good luck to Mike. I hope he has a fantastic time. Hugs for you, Renee. I'm not sure I could do it. Sending you some cyber wine.

Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 10-01-2006 - 10:34am

It is all through the YMCA and they have thier own counselors, etc. The teachers go up but usually they go from group to group to make sure everything is ok. They kind of oversee. The camp does everything. The teachers go up because they know the kids, parents, and all those issues but they don't have to run the classes or keep a group.

From my understanding they even have it worked out so that the cabin the kids have at night is not the same group that they do classes with during the day. They mix it up alot so you don't have clique's, power plays, etc.

I barely slept last night because of course all the possible bad things went through my head.

Mike's teacher and aide are both female so in the cabins at night it will be just the counselor. I called up to the camp and they are going to put Mike with thier best counselor and are prepared but I am still nervous, lol. The aide will be with him for all the classes and the teacher is nearby if needed. She is going to call me alot too. She is bringing up a bean bag and Mike's CD player/music so if he gets stressed in the cabin he can go read in the teacher cabin and listen to music there.

Phew.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sun, 10-01-2006 - 10:56am

Wow!


This is huge!


I hope Mikey has a great time. I'm sure he will.


I know you stressed yourself silly over Cait and she was fine.


There is no use telling you not to worry, I know, so I am sending you the remains of that month's supply of cyberwine that I pinched last week. OK it's a half-bottle.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com