As my fifth summer as a camp counselor draws to a close, I'm inclined (and encouraged greatly by close associates of mine) to write about my experiences as a camp counselor and what my overall opinion of such experiences was and now is. I'm eager to tell, but fear this may turn into a rant. To keep this from happening I've come up with seven observations I made this year at summer camp and I will describe each with a short paragraph or story. So without further adieu, here are the observations I've made.
#1: Your child isn't special. Period.
Whatever you've been told previously, whether you are a child yourself (and might I congratulate you on finding my blog so interesting) or a former child, or someone whose worked with children, they aren't. They just aren't! They're so much more than that flat and overused term. They embody so much emotion and talent and energy that it boggles my mind a little bit. Some are creative while others talk a lot. Some are aggressive and bossy, while others are kind and quiet. Most are goofy, some are funny, and others are just strange. They are human beings after all with all their wonderful and terrifying emotions, attitudes, and ideas. We tend to label something that takes a lot of time and work as an "obligation" or a "chore" and I can agree that that is a label I would apply to the kids I had this summer. But despite their struggles and age related worries (I had first and second graders all summer so I know what I'm talking about), they are really something else. I recommend everyone try a little harder to relate to kids the next time they see them and instead of snidely commenting of every little thing that annoys you about them, appreciate them for being them and remember that you used to be like that too.
#2: Your co-counselors make everything better.
By far this summer was excellent and made excellent by the cooperation, collaboration, and craziness that were my two co-counselors. While the kids would test our patience sometimes and quick thinking was required when certain activities didn't work out or weren't long enough, we pulled through with amazing flexibility and creativity. I've had other good counselors in the past, but these two were fabulous and while they probably already know, they have my eternal thanks and appreciation.
#3: Venting about problem children is a required end of day ritual.
Some kids you just want to scream at, while others you may wish to punt off of a cliff (metaphorically of course), so having a means to vent and complain about child behavior was a necessary end of day ritual. After we'd cleaned up and put away supplies, we'd gather round the picnic tables and discuss the day. Most kids were fine. Some had aggressive personalities that might not gel with the quieter kids or over competitive children dominating others in running games, but only once this summer did I experience a child so obnoxious that I was relieved the day he left. He not only acted like a gremlin (of movie fame you might imagine), but looked a little like one too. Towards the end of the second week he was there, he ran off during a game of Fishy, Fishy because he didn't want to run to the other side and risk getting tagged. I then had to follow him and coax him back into the game.
The second offense came on the last day. My co-counselors and I decided that going to the pond was a good way to finish the day so we headed there for lunch. Problem child didn't like this idea and loudly complained when we wouldn't sit under the trees for lunch as we'd done earlier that week. Instead he sat glumly below a paltry patch of shade near the pond's edge. While there, he found a stick insect and was sharing it with the other kids until the end of lunch. However, when we got up to leave, he tried to take the creature with him, stating that he was going to bring it home. When we told him, "No.", a tantrum ensued. He claimed that he couldn't put it back because we didn't know what species it was and other sorry excuses to try and keep it. My co-counselor and I calmly explained that this was the stick insects home and that it needed to go back to the wild. In response, he sulked. We asked him to get his bag, put it on, and get in line (as by this point, all the other children had done so and were waiting patiently for him to do so) In response, he picked up his bag, walked ten feet, deliberately dropped it, and kept going. Clearly he was going for the "I'm going to be the biggest little shit award", so we calmly asked him to pick up his dropped bag. He stomped over and sulked at the end of the line. Award achieved.
If you think that was horrible, I have other stories for other times. However, after writing that down, I really need a stiff drink before moving onto the next joy of camp. Bathrooms.
#4: Shitting in the woods is the scariest thing at camp.
Apparently the very idea of going to the bathroom in the woods is a terrifying thought to some people. Boys have it easy. Step 1. Find a tree. Step 2. Pee. Step 3. Skip step one if you have no qualms about being seen whatsoever. However, the act of defecating in the woods raises the hackles a bit. Not only are you exposing your bum to nature, but you are also at your most vulnerable making for a tense situation for all involved. One week, we had a girl at the Hobbit Tree (a large, wide spreading branched tree near the Stony Brook used for fairy house building and camouflage) who needed to use the bathroom. She'd more or less refused to use the port-a-johns the first week she was there, so it was amazing to me that she knew (even if she didn't want to) she had to go in the woods. So I grabbed the supplies needed for #2: a shovel and toilet paper. We headed down the trail a little bit and I dug the hole and instructed her on proper pooping procedure (P.P.P). For those of you who are curious, they are as follows: Step 1: Dig a hole. Step 2: Poop. Step 3: Wipe thine bum with toilet paper. Step 4: Put toilet paper in hole. Step 5: Cover hole.
Pretty easy right? Well, this little girl proved me so wrong that after it happened all I could do was laugh with disbelief. After explaining the P.P.P, I asked if she understood and she mumbled a disgruntled, "Yes.". I waited further down the trail, looking off into the brush. It was so quiet and peaceful. A cardinal sang nearby and a Black Swallowtail (Papilo polyxenes) flew past my eyes. Eventually, I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. I asked if she was finished and she nodded. I noticed that she didn't have either the shovel or the toilet paper and briefly feared that she'd tossed both into the bushes out of contempt for what I'd just put her through. I asked that she go back and get them and she did so begrudgingly. I gave her hand sanitizer and headed back. An inkling told me to go back and check that she'd done it properly. When I arrived upon the scene, my thoughts about what I might find came to a screeching halt. Not only had she missed the hole, but the size of the shit stunned me even more. For how small a child she was, that was a massive shit. She'd also put the toilet paper around it and it looked slightly shredded too. I poked it into the hole with a stick and covered the whole mess. While this was the only poorly executed poo I had to deal with this summer, there were plenty others that either wet or shat themselves. I would go into greater detail, but I would probably do better to forget such experiences.
#5: Fairy houses are the bomb.
Nuff said!
#6: CITs can make or break group dynamic.
Most of the CITs (Counselors In Training) I had this summer were great. For the most part they interacted with the kids, played the games, kept them in order, and were helpful members of the group. However, the last two we had with our group were terrible for different reasons. The second to last CIT that we had seemed to have leadership complex where he envisioned himself as a counselor more than a CIT and tried to emulate that role. He even tried disciplining one of our kids when it clearly wasn't his job to do so. However, his antics whilst well intentioned were nothing compared to our last CIT. He clearly didn't want to be at camp. From some reports we got, he was more like a problem camper last year and hadn't changed much since then. He didn't participate in any activity unless you told him to. He didn't get excited about anything. He didn't like being outside. He was the very epitome of a "Debby downer" and it showed. One of my co-counselors noted that we'd have been better off without him like we'd been the prior week (he was with 3rd and 4th beforehand). So CITs take note! You're allowed to not want to be somewhere, but instead of sulking, make your situation better. Fake it till you make it if necessary, but at least try. Who knows? The outdoors might be just the antidote you're looking for.
#7: Nature camp is a great idea.
It allows the kids to explore the natural world in a semi-controlled setting while providing time to explore, learn, and experience the world around them. I had kids who were afraid of bugs and mud at the start of the week crashing through it by the end and catching all the critters they could grab. Along with exploration, certain lessons such as predation, migration, camouflage etc. get engrained in various games, songs, and other educational activities get them excited about nature as well. I could go on, but I covered my feelings on the matter in OUT!! #8 and it would be redundant to repeat myself.
That's all there is to it I guess. If you'd like to know more, leave a comment below and I'll try to be as helpful as possible. Have a great rest of the week and thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
