Summer camp has started this week, and both kids will attend for a total of three weeks. This is the first summer that they are participating in camp for this long.
L was very nervous about this camp on the reservation but she ended up loving it. Because the camp is at the reservation, it is nature-based, so lots of hiking, digging, foraging, playing in the stream and the lake. L’ s camp was expensive- $900 for three weeks, 9am to 4pm so, a full day. R is also in camp but that one is free 🙏 because the pre-school got some kind of state grant. So very thankful for that.
After camp drop off yesterday, I took myself to the beach! Just me and my book. It was hazy, cool, and breezy. I stayed for about three hours, reading, watching the waves, having lunch, even took a little nap.
I have been reading! Non-fiction book that I finished was “The Stress Prescription” by Elissa Epel. The book takes places over the course of even days (but, it felt longer) to help people respond to stress in a productive way. The book had a lot of “water” and anecdotes but the essence was a good reminder to not sweat the small stuff. I actually saved some screenshots as reminders for self. See pictures below.
“While You Were Out” is a biography/family narrative about living in a family where both parents had untreated mental illnesses. Reminded me of my family (minus the diagnoses). My mom struggled with mania, my dad struggled with alcohol, my brother promised he was gonna cut his veins one day, and I, the youngest, struggled watching it all while developing anxiety and depression as a child. No medical or therapeutic interventions were done, and I didn’t write a book about it. Still, Meg Kissinger, the author and one of the sisters in the story, is awesome and did a wonderful taking the reader for quite a ride.
“In The Country of Others” takes place in Morocco. A French woman gets married to a Moroccan soldier and moves from Alsace to Meknes right after WWII. Themes that are coming out are feminism, Morocco’s fight for independence, mother’s experience, education of girls, and juxtaposition of natives vs colonialists.
An update on summer routines. My kids have activities after camp, just two, but that is enough. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we have classes after camp. My rationale is as follows:
🧃L was taking piano all year. For her not to lose those skills, she must continue her lessons in the summer and practice at home every day.
🧃 R is in Brazilian jiu jitsu for the summer. My hope is that it will help with his self-regulation and tamper tantrums. Plus, he burns off energy 🙌
So, on those days, I pick one kid up, then I pick up another, we go to a BJJ or a piano class, then we go home. It feels like a lot of driving.
For instance, today, I picked R up. Then I picked L up. Mind you, two different camp locations. Delivered them to piano. While L was with her teacher, R and I played with Legos at the music school. Then we all drove home. All that in a 100F weather. My car air conditioning is very sad. Needs a coolant flush or something.
Not complaining, rather, laying out our summer routine on some days and seeing that once school starts for me, this routine will not be sustainable.
If you have kids, are they in camp?
Mom of Children 