A camping she will go....

Overnight Summer Camp seems to be a right of passage for all kids growing up. Packing your bags, being dropped off in the wilderness to sleep in cabins with other kids your age and spend your days having fun. The only connection to your parents were written letters that were sent in the mail (GASP!) and not by email and special parent visitation days.

In our family, this has not been the case. Our family has a cottage and we spend summers roughing it out there. We pack our bags, drive North and live the "cottage life", lounging on the dock, boat rides, all day swimming, BBQ's, camp fires, fishing etc, etc. It's beautiful, right on the lake, surrounded by the forest and nothing else. It also comes with a full bathroom (no outhouse for us!), dishwasher, washer and dryer and air conditioner. Oh, yeah, can't forget the satellite TV and Internet. The only thing "rough" about it, the Internet is dial-up. But it's just perfect for me!!!

As a kid my sister and I didn't do summer camp either. When I was younger I did attend a day camp while my parents were at work, a glorified daycare I guess! It was at a recreation centre of sorts in Toronto called St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club. From memory I believe we did the normal day camp type stuff day trips, swimming, crafts etc. Like I said, glorified day care!

My kids have never attended summer camp. Not even day camp.

Today my oldest embarks on her first adventure at overnight summer camp... baton camp of course for anyone that knows my daughter. She is beyond excited. 6 days in the wild (if you can call Camp Muskoka the wild) with friends, doing what they love. There will be camp fires and swimming and other "campy" stuff I am sure and it will be loads of fun for her. The catch... no electronics at camp. No computer, no cell phone, no ipod. What is a teenager to do?

So as we check the bags for the final time (bug spray, check. towels, check. toothbrush, check.) and prepare to head North and meet up with all her friends, I can't help but think.. God bless the camp leaders when all those teenage girls get bored!!!