“This one time, at band camp…”
I’ve been meaning to write about Tyler and his first day camp experience as I mentioned in this post. But things have gotten a bit busy and sick around here.
Sunday is when I checked into mamasaysom for an inspiration of a new theme to post, wouldn’t you know it…”camp” is this week’s theme. What a coinkidink! I’m all for multi-tasking and “killing two birds with one stone” kind of gal, excuse the cliche, allow me to share Tyler’s first camp experience with you gentle readers.
By the way, any time the word “camp” comes up in conversation in our house…we juvenilely recite this phrase “this one time, at band camp…” from “American Pie”. Hence, the title of this post. *sheepish grin*
My little man, Tyler, is five years old going on 40, but he can be a bit shy in public. We thought of a group camp environment that might help in bringing the extrovert side out of him, and an educational and fun program at the same time.
Being a frugal Mom of three, I had to weigh the benefits the program has to offer over having him playing in the yard or saying “I’m bored”, every ten minutes.
His favorite toys are Legos and Bionicles. I’m just amazed and in awe of what he can create just from using sheer imagination (it’s a good thing because we don’t believe in spoiling our children with all the latest computer consoles or Game Cubes, etc…). So, without a doubt, we signed Tyler up for Robot Camp, which was held at the local college not too far from our house, sweeeet!!
The night before camp starts, my hubbie and I had to prepare our innocent son to the danger lurking in the real world. Mind you, the camp is only from 9AM-3:30PM and only lasts one week, and it’s not like he’s going overnight or anything. But it would be the first time he’s under someone else’s care besides us, our relatives, or his teachers at school.
We tried not to alarm him in any way, but gently educating him that “a stranger” is everyone, and never to leave any where without telling the teachers, even if candies were offered, or “your Mommy or Daddy said it’s ok!” It’s so sad and distressing that we have to prepare our innocent children to the dangers lurking outside their comfort zone at such an early age. But better to be prepared than not, I think.
The first morning of Robot Camp, we got there plenty of time for me to drill ask the instructors the safety issues and the bathroom policy. Thanks to Misha for this post, I was quite frightened and had never thought of asking about the bathroom policy. And was told by the instructors that they don’t use a “buddy system” but they would all go as a group (there were only 11 kids in the group). I was at ease after that and off we left Tyler to enjoy his first day at camp.
When we picked Tyler up, I was asking him how he enjoyed his first day at camp and if he made any new friends. He mentioned a boy named Jeffrey, and that he liked it so far. And I asked him if he went to the bathroom by himself, he said there was one boy in the same bathroom with him and he was “looking at my bum and my weewee Mommy!”
I was driving and whipped my head back to look at him so fast that I thought we were going to get into an accident. But casually I asked “what do you mean he was looking at your bum?” Tyler replied “I don’t know, he just stood there.” So I thought he might be talking about urinals. I’ve always brought him into the women’s bathroom with me and if his Dad takes him to the public bathrooms, he would use the stalls instead of urinals. I was kind of spooked at this point but trying to remain calm, I said “next time close the door behind you and tell him to give you some space.” And Tyler said “ok” as if nothing happens, leaving his Mom a little shook up from the thought of any harm to her precious son. Even though, it was probably nothing to be alarmed about, but from what you see and hear from the news, you can’t help being a little unnerve no matter how old the person is.
The next morning after dropping Tyler off, I mentioned Tyler’s concern to one of the instructors and she said she would mention to the class the issue of “space” in the bathroom. I felt much better but I’m sure the instructor was thinking “another overprotective mom”! Oh well, call me that any day as long as my kids are safe and sound!!
Allow me to show off the robots that Tyler worked on all week and was excited to bring them home on Friday.
Meet Kazilla (the guy on the right who has been disassembled once he got home and is now missing parts) and his friend, I forgot his name. They both are motorized and powered by batteries…but not for long.
I asked Tyler if he’d like to attend this camp again next year and he said excitedly “YES!” The only thing I wished they offered was a daily report of what the kids did for the day (try asking a five year-old what he’d learned for the day is like pulling teeth!). 
Stop over at mamasaysom for other posts on “camp”.Â
I’ve been meaning to write about Tyler and his first day camp experience as I mentioned in this post. But things have gotten a bit busy and sick around here.
Sunday is when I checked into mamasaysom for an inspiration of a new theme to post, wouldn’t you know it…”camp” is this week’s theme. What a coinkidink! I’m all for multi-tasking and “killing two birds with one stone” kind of gal, excuse the cliche, allow me to share Tyler’s first camp experience with you gentle readers.
By the way, any time the word “camp” comes up in conversation in our house…we juvenilely recite this phrase “this one time, at band camp…” from “American Pie”. Hence, the title of this post. *sheepish grin*
My little man, Tyler, is five years old going on 40, but he can be a bit shy in public. We thought of a group camp environment that might help in bringing the extrovert side out of him, and an educational and fun program at the same time.
Being a frugal Mom of three, I had to weigh the benefits the program has to offer over having him playing in the yard or saying “I’m bored”, every ten minutes.
His favorite toys are Legos and Bionicles. I’m just amazed and in awe of what he can create just from using sheer imagination (it’s a good thing because we don’t believe in spoiling our children with all the latest computer consoles or Game Cubes, etc…). So, without a doubt, we signed Tyler up for Robot Camp, which was held at the local college not too far from our house, sweeeet!!
The night before camp starts, my hubbie and I had to prepare our innocent son to the danger lurking in the real world. Mind you, the camp is only from 9AM-3:30PM and only lasts one week, and it’s not like he’s going overnight or anything. But it would be the first time he’s under someone else’s care besides us, our relatives, or his teachers at school.
We tried not to alarm him in any way, but gently educating him that “a stranger” is everyone, and never to leave any where without telling the teachers, even if candies were offered, or “your Mommy or Daddy said it’s ok!” It’s so sad and distressing that we have to prepare our innocent children to the dangers lurking outside their comfort zone at such an early age. But better to be prepared than not, I think.
The first morning of Robot Camp, we got there plenty of time for me to drill ask the instructors the safety issues and the bathroom policy. Thanks to Misha for this post, I was quite frightened and had never thought of asking about the bathroom policy. And was told by the instructors that they don’t use a “buddy system” but they would all go as a group (there were only 11 kids in the group). I was at ease after that and off we left Tyler to enjoy his first day at camp.
When we picked Tyler up, I was asking him how he enjoyed his first day at camp and if he made any new friends. He mentioned a boy named Jeffrey, and that he liked it so far. And I asked him if he went to the bathroom by himself, he said there was one boy in the same bathroom with him and he was “looking at my bum and my weewee Mommy!”
I was driving and whipped my head back to look at him so fast that I thought we were going to get into an accident. But casually I asked “what do you mean he was looking at your bum?” Tyler replied “I don’t know, he just stood there.” So I thought he might be talking about urinals. I’ve always brought him into the women’s bathroom with me and if his Dad takes him to the public bathrooms, he would use the stalls instead of urinals. I was kind of spooked at this point but trying to remain calm, I said “next time close the door behind you and tell him to give you some space.” And Tyler said “ok” as if nothing happens, leaving his Mom a little shook up from the thought of any harm to her precious son. Even though, it was probably nothing to be alarmed about, but from what you see and hear from the news, you can’t help being a little unnerve no matter how old the person is.
The next morning after dropping Tyler off, I mentioned Tyler’s concern to one of the instructors and she said she would mention to the class the issue of “space” in the bathroom. I felt much better but I’m sure the instructor was thinking “another overprotective mom”! Oh well, call me that any day as long as my kids are safe and sound!!
Allow me to show off the robots that Tyler worked on all week and was excited to bring them home on Friday.
Meet Kazilla (the guy on the right who has been disassembled once he got home and is now missing parts) and his friend, I forgot his name. They both are motorized and powered by batteries…but not for long.
I asked Tyler if he’d like to attend this camp again next year and he said excitedly “YES!” The only thing I wished they offered was a daily report of what the kids did for the day (try asking a five year-old what he’d learned for the day is like pulling teeth!).
Stop over at mamasaysom for other posts on “camp”.Â
Cool! So how do I sign myself up for Robot Camp…???
Those are awesome robots! Sounds like a lot of fun, and something my 3yr old Olivia would love to do someday.
Didn’t mean to scare you.
Glad it all went OK!
Day camp! How fun for him, especially since he could make those cool robots.
I can see how the bathroom report freaked you out a bit, but who knows whether his campmates had ever been in a bathroom without an adult present to guide them.
He made those robots? My goodness he defintely has Legos and whatchamacalits down.
He’s a smart little boy– you are lucky.
I’m glad he had fun
Way cool robots…I wanna go, too!!!
Yup, first thing I thought of when I saw camp was “this one time…”
LOL.