No Summer Camps for me!

I know you are all scratching your heads wondering if I have lost track of time or just finally went around the bend. Never fear. I'm not that far gone. (Well, at least not yet.) It is just that when you provide summer camps, you actually have to start planning them in January. People are already calling to know which camps we will be offering this summer.

Well, this year I am taking a break. I have agonized over this decision. Camps provided some nice things last summer. The pay was nice for only 4 hours - 5 days a week with kiddos. Unfortunately, it took much more than the 4 hours-5 days a week. There was the planning. And since every camp I did last summer was different, so was every plan. Then I had many of the same kids at each camp. You have one good camp - the other one has got be better. (Or, so the kids and parents think.) Which as anybody, especially the teachers out there know, planning takes a lot of time and commitment. Then, there is the camp itself. Each camp is full of 5-15 kids ranging in age from 5-10 years. These are not your everyday kids that are in every camp around the country, either Intermixed in each camp are a few kiddos needing special attention. Oh, I'm not jut talking about special needs kids. I'm talking bratty teacher kids (which can be the WORST!) and kids (that for some reason) haven't been with other children- ever. No matter where they come from or what their challenge, they all expect fun. Ummm. That's not exactly right. They want hours of fun, Fun, FUN! No lag time is allowed. Forget going to the bathroom. (I tried it once and all hell broke loose.) Getting a drink of water is only allowed during snack time and only if you are able to keep eye contact with at least 3 of the little darlings. When parents arrive to pick them you up, you are so relieved that it doesn't seem like a lie when you tell them how much fun you had. Friday finally arrives. You are doing your best to keep the horde of children in sight. You hope and pray that any blood spilled will be minor and easily covered with a bandage or two. Friday afternoon the parents arrive one more time. You beam angelically (because you are praising God for letting you -not the kids- survive another week.) You tell the parents how wonderful it has been having their sweet child this week as you literally push them into their vehicles, strap them in, and start the engine in one fell swoop.
Needless to say, I am doing a mental and emotional jig over my decision. I am even gladder that I was able to stand up against some pretty tough opposing ideas and stick with my decision. Yipee for me! I will not be crawling to my car this summer wet, sticky, sunburnned, and babbling to myself , " 4 more days to Friday. 3 more days to Friday. 2 more......"