Jumping into summer camp

Seriously. This day. 84° F, 28.8° C. A light breeze. Sun. Puffy white clouds. Clear sky. It was a true north woods kind of day. Your boys had safety talks for their first activity period and were OFF! I can tell you that they have jumped head-long into their great summer adventure at camp.
I got to see so many boys today that I know and love. Two of my nephews are here (cousin power!!!), kids from my hometown of Gainesville, FL are here. A whole slew of midwest, Mexican, and Colorado-and-beyond-boys I’ve known since they were *this high,* are here. It absolutely amazes me how much these guys grow at this age. I’m talking FEET here, people. And the voices. They leave as boys and come back a year later with beards. Seriously. It happens.
We keep all this growing happening with the most amazing food. Thanks to our nutrition team of Lois Craig (head chef) and Sharon Bachmann (meal planner) these boys eat amazingly well. Did you know we do it old style here at Highlands? (I know this shocks you, 110 years later) The noon meal is called “dinner,” and the evening meal is “supper.” And we must be half Hobbit, because we have two breakfasts, starting with hot and cold cereal and yogurt bar, followed by a hot breakfast like pancakes, French toast, eggs and more. No one goes hungry at camp, no matter how picky.
While your boys were off having a blast at activities this morning, Andy B. and I were dropping our second-born off at girls camp for the first time.
Woah.
I’m ok, thanks for asking.
I have to admit, I was glad I had some big, dark sunglasses for the event. But it went really well. Partially because of an email I received last night from one of our Highlands moms, Sara Reed. Sara’s a first-timer, just like I am. And her words had me weeping at 11:30 p.m. as I answered my last email last night.
Sara, thank you so much for allowing me to share your fortifying words (my idea, not her’s!). I’m thrilled, awed and amazed my daughter is “at the right place, in the right time that one brave boy [girl!] is poised to have the time of his [her] life. HIS [HER] life.”
By Sara Reed, first-time camp mom to a boy in cabin 18
One very brave and excited boy chose one weepy Papa to walk him to the plane.
One very brave and excited boy kissed his sisters *on the lips* and told them that he loved them. Sisters were brave enough not to register the shock. Later, they said, “That’s the first time he kissed me OR told me that he loved me!” Their delight was evident.
One stinky, grumpy five year-old boy announced that he was glad that the brave boy was leaving. Then, he pouted all day and announced he does not like “so much girls at ‘diss house.”
One brave boy called approximately eleven hundred times on his phone. He’s in bunk #18. The lake is cool, it’s 7 miles long and his counselor is named Ben but he has NO idea where Ben is from. It’s very pretty here and not too hot. Lots of trees and he likes it. He ate all of the candy and chips we gave him for the plane. He saved the free cookies from the plane for his Papa. 
One excited sister moved promptly into the brave boy’s room to take advantage of the larger bed. More stuffed animals can fit, you see. The girl was scolded by one Mama who was ready to clean and purge that room. Mama cleaned. Girl skulked and was moody about missing brother.
Mama told the brave boy about the mess in his room. He laughed and said, “I’m too far away for you to tell me to clean it! You do it your way!”
One boy, released into the world and into his life…to the right place…at the right time said, “I am so excited. A little nervous, but SO excited. Thank you for letting me come to camp! I love you!” 
One Papa continued to weep intermittently all day and into the evening. But all told, he did not cry as much as the day that the brave boy was born – when he managed to sob for hours straight, and sobbed at record amounts. Papa announces he cannot live without his boy; however, Papa manages to appear as though currently alive and registers all vitals.
“Our boy is gone! I hope he’s okay!” announced the Papa. “Our boy is HAPPY! And he’s okay!” announced the Mama.
Three siblings, briefly un-moored by the temporary loss of their leader, renegotiated their tethers…with the now-oldest announcing, “I am the oldest available sibling now and you have to do what *I* say!” 
One great-grandmother called to say she was proud of the parents and thrilled to have seen her oldest great-grandchild have his first out-of-the-home experience. One Mama was filled up with joy at the approval of her greatest Mama-mentor and true love.
One lovely fellow-first-time-Mama (who may also have felt a little anxious) texted to share, “I saw him, he looks happy. He is in the bunk with mine and all seems good. They’re okay!”
One Mama took a celebratory nap, cleaned the boys’ room, drank the best wine in the house, took the beloved brave boys’ calls, chided the Papa and knew that above all else: at the right place, in the right time that one brave boy is poised to have the time of his life. HIS life.
Does anyone have a Kleenex?
And on that note…
I ❤ CH // tracy b.
 

Well moms and dads, your boys made it! And they are all tucked snug as bugs in rugs. Taps blew for the first time tonight and I betcha these guys will sleep well. The first leg of their summer adventure is complete. Some of them traveled over 17 hours to get here today – making that drive from Chicago seem like a jaunt around the block, right? They arrived on the buses at 5:15 or so, and quickly sorted out where they needed to be. Counselors helped the guys make their beds and everyone headed to the dining room to eat spaghetti at 6 p.m. After supper they had camp fires where the head counselors gave them a quick overview of how camp works. A little what-to-expect-when-you’re-expecting at camp. Tomorrow they’ll get more safety talks, take swim tests, learn the buddy system at the waterfront and more. They’ll be shooting hoops, kayaking and playing football or soccer by 11 a.m.
We are beat here at CH HQ. I’d like to award Ross Freeland with some sort of honor award for most heroic efforts in transporting campers EVER. Ross delivered 13 boys to the airport on Saturday night (with the help of Chris), picked up five boys for an overnight in Chicago, and then picked up ten more boys today (with the help Pablo and Seth). That is remarkable!! Thank you ROSS!!!!
And on that note…
I ❤ CH // tracy b.

Tomorrow’s the big day. I know this because I got a calendar reminder today on my computer: “Boys arrive tomorrow.” Gee, thanks, I hadn’t noticed. While we here at CH HQ are getting ready to say hello to those boys, you are getting ready to say farewell. Here are some thoughts we have on saying good bye when you send your child to camp. Tomorrow.
1. Recognize that you will be as emotional, if not more, than your son. Being intuitive little creatures, they will pick up on your emotions. It’s important to be positive, even if you are feeling unsure and weepy. Crying or over-worry will undermine his confidence. Remind him that he *can do this*! Remind him you are just a letter away and that you love him and *believe* in him. Tell him you are excited for the experiences he’s going to have.
2. If you haven’t already discussed homesickness with him by now, go ahead and have that conversation. Tell him missing home is natural, and that you’d be sad if he didn’t miss you. Tell him to talk to his counselor if he’s feeling blue. Remind him that you aren’t going anywhere and you’ll be there at the end with open arms dying to hear all the, as one parent emailed me today said, “the usual amusing, heroic, enlightening, and eyebrow raising stories that the boys come home with.” (Remember we are well-versed in helping boys work through homesickness.) If you have any doubt, check out Michael Thompson’s book, Homesick and Happy. It’s GREAT. Also, I recently spoke with Michael Thompson on summer camp and these issues, and it’s available on podcast.
3. Keep it short and sweet. Make a plan ahead of time, so that there’s no surprise at 2:00 p.m. when you say, “OK buddy, we’re headed home.” If you’re taking the bus: Arrive at 9:15 – 9:30 a.m., check in with the counselor on duty at the bus, help your boy load his stuff on the bus. Make sure you’ve communicated any last minute instructions to the counselor and hang out until they move the boys on to the bus. Give him a big hug! Wave! Pat yourself on the back for keeping a stiff upper lip!
If you’re dropping him off at camp, tell him the plan. “First we’ll check in. Then we’ll make your bed. I’d like a tour of camp, and once we check in with the nurse, I’ll walk you back to your cabin and give you a hug from there.” Everyone likes to know what’s happening next (believe me, I have a two-year old, I know what I’m talking about). Knowing what comes next helps set him up for a confident start.
That’s it! Positive attitude, preparation and a plan. With those three things, that goodbye will be sweet and relatively painless.
We’ll Facebook it when the busses arrive and camp is fully underway. If your son is flying in, you’ll get a phone call from the counselor when they arrive.
See you tomorrow!
I ❤ CH // tracy b.
 

Hello Highlands Moms (and Dads too),
Just a few words to you from a Highlands mom who has been around for a while. As camp time nears, I know that your and your son’s thoughts will be turning to Camp Highlands. We are so glad that he will be with us this summer.
I have been re-reading the comments from the parent response forms that we sent out at the end of last summer. Those comments help us know that we are on the right track. Your son will learn much while he is here– learning to take responsibility – learning to put his energy to the good — and learning what it means to be a Worthwhile man.
Mike and I have been in your shoes. It was a little easier to send our sons Tim and Andy to camp. They were at Highlands and we had selected and knew all of the staff. But when we took our daughter Laura to her camp — that was another story! Her first year, as we reached the gates of her new camp she started sobbing. That did it for me. I was a wreck for the first week she was there. I’m a worrier, how about you?
I am writing to assure you that your son will be in good hands!  We have an absolutely wonderful staff! We can assure you of that, because we know them. Our staff is an amazing blend of teachers and college students. Our main criterion in staffing is selecting “nice people.” Your son will have a ball!
We care about your son, and will do all that we can to help him have a great time. Andy, Tracy, Mike and I think about the boys as our own while they are at camp. Please know that we stay on top of any “homesick” situation, and help boys work through any adjustment problems. There are surprisingly few.
A friend here in Western Springs was telling me how nervous she was because her daughter is going away to camp for the first time. I told her what I want to tell you: Don’t hesitate to call if you have a concern about your child. We are in and out of the office every day, so chances are good that you will reach a Bachmann when you call. We also check the answering machine throughout the day. One of us will follow up on any question or concern, and get back to you with an up-to-the minute report. The office number is 715-542-3443.
Thank you for the confidence you show in all of us on the Highlands staff. We are looking forward to a terrific summer with your son!
Sincerely,
Sharon Bachmann

So it’s the first summer your son is packing up his ball glove and sleeping bag and headed off to camp. It seems like it would be so easy – boys, cabins, nature. But then you start worrying about the weather, the trip up, the trip home. It’s a lot! I’ll tell you what one of my amazing midwives told me when I had my first child. “Trust in the process.” We’ve been at this for 110 years! If you forget to pack something, it’s NOT a big deal. (Honestly, there’s Amazon Prime now!) And anyway, we probably have it in the store.
As usual, we have lots of first-timers this summer and I’ve been collecting all the great questions moms and dads have been emailing me, so without too much fanfare I’ll get right to it…

Q. My daughter’s camp asks that we ship the bedding in the trunks and bring the clothes in the bags.  You say differently but I wanted to make sure I have that correct. Does your staff make the kids beds, or do the campers?
A. Don’t worry how you pack it. Just get it here! We do recommend putting clothes in the trunk and bedding in the duffel, but it’s really however you can fit it all in. The counselors make the beds for the little guys and they help the bigger guys make their beds when they arrive. I prefer to pack my kid’s clothes in the trunk so that they don’t need to repack when they get to camp. But honestly, it doesn’t really matter.
Q. Do boys ever bring e-readers? Books are kind of like friends to my son and he’s really nervous about camp.
A. He can bring it, but it falls into a grey area of “what if something happens to it?” Can you guys be OK with it getting wet, stepped on – or worse – if it walks off? The e-reader is up to you guys. But all other electronics should be left at home. Maybe just stock him up on books before camp. (P.S. We have hundreds if not thousands of books here at camp. We have a great tradition of bringing a book you’ve read during the year to camp to donate to the library.)
Q. Do we need to pack mosquito netting for his bunk?
A. We provide the mosquito netting or “dinglebats” (as we call them). Make sure you pack a bottle of DEET bug spray. We are hoping the dragonflies and bats will do their job before the campers get here, but we’ve had a very wet spring and the skeeters are pretty thick right now.
Q. Do boys his age (nine) bring blankets/stuffed animals, etc?  He has a special blanket that he sleeps with EVERY night but he thinks the other boys will laugh at him.
A. Absolutely. My 11 year old still sleeps with his (grungy) blanket at camp.
Q. For a nervous camper, what time do you recommend arriving?  Will we have time to tour around or should I drop him and go? You tell me what’s best so I can prepare him…he does better knowing these things in advance.
A. If I were you, I’d arrive after lunch – around 1 p.m. is perfect. Meet his counselor and the nurse, tour camp and then quickly and assuredly say good bye. I’d aim to head out of camp around 3:00 p.m. or so. That way there won’t be too much down-time before the buses with the rest of the campers arrive around 5:00 and camp really gets underway with spaghetti dinner at 6:00 p.m.
Q. I wanted to clarify how pick-up works. I understand there is a banquet. Is it on Friday or Saturday? Do some people go to the banquet and spend the night there and then leave the next day?
A. The banquet is on FRIDAY at the end of camp. Festivities start at 3 pm, a picnic supper is at 6 pm, followed by awards, etc. The evening ends around 8:45. Depending on your travel plans, your son can go home with you after the banquet OR they can spend the night and be picked up by 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Q. His birthday will be during camp. Do you celebrate birthdays?
A. Do we ever! They get recognized at breakfast with a birthday button (like Disney World!) and their cabin gets their own special birthday cake a lunch, and of course all of camp sings happy birthday to him! It’s pretty great.
So, I know there are LOTS more questions, and maybe you old professional camp parents have two cents you’d like to thrown in here? Just put them in the comments section and we can start answering! Or you can send me an email, or give me a jingle here at Camp. We are looking forward to an amazing summer!
Q. Do you have a visiting day?
A. Parents are invited to come at any time to camp. However, we suggest keeping the visits brief. You are welcome to make a reservation in the Lodge (call 715-542-2950 and talk to Sharon), or stay in one of the area’s accomodations. We also recommend that if your son may be wrestling with homesickness, a visit can actually make things worse, not better. If you do visit, we ask that you are a “fly on the wall.” Free time is a good time to spend time together. Having parents join in activities is disruptive to the boy’s experience.
Q. May we call our son during camp?
A. We have a very strict policy of no phone calls at camp. The exception is if it’s your son’s birthday. This applies to all of our campers, including international campers. Phone calls home are difficult for office staff to arrange, as we have only one line at camp. We also believe that a phone call home can induce homesickness, something that no parent wants to do. Thank you for respecting this policy!