We caught a break in the weather today, the nor’easter coming up the east coast was expected to dampen our day; but fortunately, we made it until dinner before the misty weather rained on our parade. It was great to get in a full day of activities, especially as we anticipate a wash-out tomorrow. We’ve had some great games out on the fields and courts. I literally jumped out of my seat and ran up to the Warrior Basketball Court because the cheers were so loud that I could hear them all the way in my office. We’re having tons of moments like that Warrior basketball game. However, I could appreciate that many of you feel so far removed from your son that you can’t help but comb our website for photos and wait with nervous anticipation for that scribbled letter that provides so little information.
Some of you would have been great had you pursued forensics. Your ability to blow up a picture and spot a rash on the chin, which might just be a little ketchup left-over from the cookout, is remarkable. But in all seriousness, I can appreciate your intense desire to remain the focal point of your son’s life. I write so often about the child’s perspective and experience in camp when in reality it’s the family’s experience when the child goes to camp. You have invested every waking moment of your life in your son and when you send him away, as much as you trust your parenting skills, it’s so hard to imagine that your little guy can live without you.
Our phone calls start Saturday for Warrior Camp, followed by Sunday for our Juniors. In light of the world that we’re living in currently, we’re going to make these important communications as FaceTime calls for the first time ever. We have assigned an older camper to each of our younger boys who are here without cell phones. Our older boys will help our little guys connect with their parents and will then step away and provide our younger campers the opportunity to visit with their parents for a brief but intimate call.
In my experience, these calls can start off emotionally. It’s often a shock to our little guys’ system when they hear their parent’s voices for the first time in two weeks. I suspect when they see and hear you, it may create an even greater emotional reaction. Nevertheless, we’ve had an amazing two weeks, and your son has had many successful moments. I am confident when you redirect the conversation to camp and your son’s program, he will be able to share with you all of his wonderful accomplishments. Your son’s counselors and division leaders will be with me amongst our boys, watching for signs of upset during or after the call. Please know that if you end your call and your son is sad, we will be there to give him a hug and emotional support. It is also my experience that shortly after these calls end, our boys are easily distracted and happy to reconnect with their friends in our program. Boys generally do better when they’re busy and actively engaged. Therefore, we have planned a full day of activities after our morning FaceTime calls.
I hope you find this feedback helpful. I feel fortunate that you have given me the opportunity to experience this incredibly valuable time in your son’s life with him at Camp Takajo.
