With week three in the record books, our boys woke up to Lazy Man’s breakfast doughnuts and had a relaxed morning. Some of our boys departed for neighboring girls’ camps to reconnect with their sisters and cousins. Other boys took the opportunity to select their choice of activities, so they could hone in on skills during this unstructured morning. Our hobby activities were full with campers finishing up projects in time to have on display for visiting day. The 13- and 15-year-olds who were selected to participate in a basketball tournament tomorrow, had their final practice before the tournament begins. Our senior boys participating in our big show, Damn Yankees, assembled at the MJG Playhouse for a run-through in preparation for show night on Wednesday evening. It seems like there is always so much going on in a given day, but that is what makes camp so enjoyable.
As many of you prepare for your trip to Maine, in anticipation of a wonderful visiting day, I thought I would take this opportunity to offer some tips on how to make the most of this long-awaited reunion. Camp Takajo’s founder, Morty Goldman, referred to Visiting Day (jokingly) as a “necessary evil.” While it would be challenging to think of not seeing your child for an entire season, the flip side is that visiting days can be stressful. Your son is in a wonderful routine, has made great connections, and feels very comfortable in camp.
The “invasion” of parents, while exhilarating, can also be overwhelming.
- When it comes to candy and gifts, the less, the better. We don’t serve candy. The boys have not had “junk food” for four weeks. Each year, after visiting day, the number of boys who visit the health center for upset stomachs doubles. I suggest you bring your son’s favorite snack, but no more than what he can consume in a day.
- “Stay in the program.” Visiting day runs from 9-5. It’s a long day, and you will have plenty of opportunities to sit with your son and catch up. I strongly urge that you follow your son from activity to activity so you can truly understand all that he does in a day and that you can witness first hand all that he has accomplished this summer. Your lunch time and rest-hour breaks will give you two hours of uninterrupted time to sit and relax, play tennis, or take a dip in our lake. Unfortunately, we cannot allow parents in any of our boats.
- See the glass as “half full.” Your son might be wearing two different socks, missed a little dirt on his neck during his last shower, and may not have his clothing as neat as you would like. Nevertheless, your son is learning how to be responsible for his items and how to be an important member of a community. This independence is often a work in progress, and we should applaud our children for their successes.
- Visiting day begins at 9 am and ends at 5 pm. When you arrive in camp, my staff will help you find a parking place. We will have greeters at the Takajo Arch. They will direct you to your son’s first activity. Please meet your son at his first activity. All campers are told to go directly to their first activity. We do this so that we can start the activities on time. If guests were to meet their kids at the bunks, we would never get the day’s program off the ground. The visiting day ends at 5 pm. In Warrior Camp, parents will say goodbye to their children at the Dinner Lineup on the Warrior Basketball court. Group leader Hank Fortin will tell all parents to give their hugs and goodbyes. Then, the counselors will take the campers to dinner. Your son’s counselor will be with him when you separate. Please don’t ask him to say goodbye at your car. We want to make sure that our staff is present to assist any child who might be sad. Children are resilient, and no matter how challenging it might be to say goodbye, your son will rebound shortly after you depart.
- Golf carts will be driven by my staff and are available to anyone who needs physical assistance getting around our facility. We have visitors who truly need this assistance to navigate around our property. Therefore, we ask that you refrain from taking a ride unless it is truly needed. Our drivers are instructed to take guests from one activity to another, but cannot deviate to go up to the parking lot, retrieve packages, or drive over tree roots and boulders to individual bunks.
- Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me in person during the day or by email if there is anything I can do to improve your child’s experience. We have assembled a great staff, and we are confident that we have what it takes to make this a remarkable experience for your family.
Looking forward to welcoming you,
Jeff
