A Good Thing

Caroline began a new camp season at our beloved Nature Place yesterday. Her time spent there last year was among her happiest of times. When she learned that her two camp friends from last year were not returning, despite her love of camp itself, I had to work hard to convince her to return. I was able to find a friend to join her for the first two weeks of camp but our goal was for her to attend throughout the summer, for six weeks. Leading up to yesterday, Caroline had remained firm that she would stay only as long as her friend did.

Yesterday, she came bounding off the bus, happier than I have seen her months. She talked and talked about all the fun she had had. Drama John singing at Morning Share, a long swim in the pond, time on the playground, planting strawberries at the garden, the creation of a nature book to collect leaves and flowers at art. She talked on and on and on. I am sure I received more information about yesterday's time at camp than I did about her entire school year.

At dinner she told us that not only did she want to stay at camp for the entire six weeks regardless of what her friend did but that she wanted to spend her summers at the Nature Place "for as long as she was allowed to."

There is nothing better than finding a place that makes your child happy and we have found it...