Summer Camp Wrap-Up (Part 2)

There is a Part 1 to this post. You should read that first and then come back!

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There is a kind of “detox” that campers go through when they first get to camp, and then, when they get home, they have to go through it all over again. One of my friends refers to it as “re-entry.“ She’s right. Coming off a camp high is not easy, and even though you know it’s coming, it still feels very sudden.

For many campers, camp is their second home but still, after not being here for several months, it takes a minute to adjust when they come back. It’s actually the same for the staff—especially new staff who have never worked at an overnight camp before. They get to camp and they’re like “What the hell is THIS place??”

I get it. I understand the transition.

I also miss things from home when I‘m at camp: my friends, my heels and the instant hot water thing on my kitchen sink. The thing is, whether you’re a camper or a staff member, it goes fast, so it’s best to let yourself enjoy your camp time, because once you’re home, you can’t get it back—and you don’t want to be kicking yourself that you didn’t have fun while you were here.

 

But it takes a minute, for a lot of kids, to adjust. They always leave with some kind of positive experience though, no matter what kind of kid they are. Camp is an equalizer. Everyone starts at the same place, ground zero. And they can only go up.

Your mommy and daddy are going through a divorce? That sucks. Seems like this is probably the best place for you! See you at Milk & Cookies! Welcome to camp!!

You’re scared of heights? Try the trapeze or high ropes course. Just try not to eat 12 turkey subs at lunch and then go up. Welcome to camp!!

You’re family has a s**t ton of money? That’s awesome, when you get home buy me something, but while you’re here, your a$$ is broke. Welcome to camp!!

After a few days, most of the kids and staff settle in to camp life, but there are some who never make the adjustment. Camp isn‘t for everyone.

Some of my best girlfriends have kids that don’t go to overnight camp. That’s cool. In fact, I’m glad. If they did send their kids to camp, they’d probably send them here and then they’d bug me every day with questions like “Was he the star of the talent show? Did he go poopie? Is he eating his vegetables?” and I would tell them “Wait for a letter”  and they’d be like “B**ch, you better tell me about my kid, why do you think I sent him to you?!?!”

But that’s all over because 2 days ago all of the campers and most of the staff left. It’s very strange here without them. It took me those few days to figure out that I, too, am going through a detox.

This summer was a very special summer. I don’t know if it’s because of the campers or the staff, or maybe it’s both because this was a year when a lot of former campers came back as staff. And of the ones that came back, so many were great.

 

What I can’t figure out is how kids I loved as campers are now be old enough to be staff?? Counselors? Even a Unit Director??

I’m not going to pretend that I know every camper at this place, I don’t. We get a lot of kids year in and out—just during second session this summer, there were about 200 kids. That’s a lot of freakin’kids! I get to know as many as I can, and I love them all, but there are some that I build a true bond with, and when those kids come back to camp, years later as staff, well there is no other feeling like that in the world.

I GET MY KID BACK!!!!!!

Thank you so much, parents who did EVERYTHING!! Thank you for all your hard work and then just letting me have your kid for the summer!! Yay for me!! And not only that, but I’m going to shake him down for everything you did to make him awesome and I’m going to copy ALL OF IT!!

Some of these kids are girls. Girls I want my girls to emulate. But many are boys—probably because I don’t have any boys of my own, and my girls don’t have any brothers. Brothers are important.

Because of camp though, my girls have some very special and very amazing “big brothers” in their world. They are in different places and different ages, but all loyal. If we called on any one of these guys, they would be there.

Sometimes I think to myself how funny it would be if some loser kid was picking on one of my girls when all of the sudden their “Army of Camp Brothers” showed up. “You got a problem, kid?”

That kid would pee in his pants.

It’s natural for campers to want to know the kids of the camp director families. “Kid of Camp Director” is pretty much rock star status at camp, and our camp isn’t so big that the campers don’t know who all of the directors’ kids are. Plus, one of mine is adopted and from China. I mean, you don’t often see a kid like that running around an overnight camp. You just don’t, especially a kid like this one:

[Meanwhile, total side note, but how great is it that our campers are growing up with a kid who is adopted from China? Throughout the summer, so many kids ask me questions about her. There is comfort here and the subject of my daughter’s adoption is not at all taboo, it’s celebrated, so all of these kids—maybe not all, but most— know her and love her. In fact, I bet after knowing her, it will never occur to them to make fun of any kid who is adopted or from China because they will remember how cool she is. Here’s hoping!!

It makes me happy when counselors ask “What do I need to do so your kids like me?” Some were old favorites of mine who want to maintain the familial relationship, but some don’t care about me, they only want to know my kids.

Isn’t it amazing how it all comes full circle? …And it continues, the next generation.

But now, camp is over and summer is drawing to a close. The campers are settling in at home, the staff is onto their next adventure and it’s time for me to go home and start the next chapter of life and Dim Sum and Doughnuts.

What a summer it was. Every camper, every staff member and every reader of Dim Sum and Doughnuts was very special to us. Thanks for the memories.

Camp, 2014.

RIP Wax That Booty.

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