Oldest dd is going on her first camping trip!
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive September 2004:
Oldest dd is going on her first camping trip!
I don't know if this should be on the parenting board or not.
DD was invited by her school's church to go on a youth group camping trip. She is 12 and she leaves tonight at 6 and won't be back until 3 Sunday afternoon.
I will miss her terribly. She is still debating whether to go or not. She is a little nervous and has told me she will miss me immensely. I trust who's going and her best friend and a counselor will be sharing a tent. But we've never been away from each other that long in that whole 12 years.
I told her, I know she'll have a good time and even though we'll miss each other time will go quickly (though I've never been camping and neither has she).
I took my girl scouts camping last year, age 10, i girl had never been away from mom. Night one went great, day two she commented on her mom and that night just really had to call her  It was okay for her to do that, she did great, had a great time and it was a trip of a lifetime for her. I think we can push our kids too fast sometimes, but I also think there is a time to let go. This sounds like just that opportunity for her. She will have a great time, try to focus on the fun things she will do and learn, smores, night skies, time with friends. We also did some special cooking, took a hike, went horseback riding. Send her with a disposable camera so she can record the event for you, then when you get home yall can scrapbook it together.
Well she's off and we both had tears in our eyes. I told her she would have a great time. She can be terribly shy (I was at that age) around new people).
I think she'll have a lot of fun and a lot of stories
Good for you for letting her go! It's so hard to let go, even if it's just for a few days. I hope she enjoys it!
I remember my first church camping trip! It was an amazing event and when I came home my Mom had decorated my room with balloons and a Welcome Home banner and bought me a gift, it was basically a family "We missed You" party. I felt so special and enjoyed sharing what I did while camping. It is definitely a memorable experience!
Marg, you are such a sweet mom! I'm glad she decided to go. I'm sure she'll have a great time.
Think of how fun it will be to hear all about it on Sunday when she gets back!
My kids both went to church camp at the age of 12. They were gone from Sunday afternoon until Friday afternoon. It was the longest either one of them had been away from home, other than overnights or a night or two at Grandma's. They both did fine and had a wonderful time!
Also, the kid who was left behind enjoyed a vacation from their sister!
Thanks ladies
Rachel is our 'serious, motherly, oh-so-loving oldest dd.' We have been through a lot together, physically (big one her speech delayment) and mentally (the death of so many family members in her short 12 years). We are like glue.
It was so lonely last night, lol! Shannon's the silly one, but was quiet last night watching tv and working on homework. And Alyssa was kind of quiet and tired out by 8.
I'm so glad they are having good weather (no rain). I'm an outdoors person, but if I were to go camping I would need a cabin or a camper, lol
I bet she is having a great time Its hard to let them go on their own.
No matter what age...I know the feeling with Tom at college
My kids are on an overnight tonight. They are doing "shantytown". It is a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. They build structures out of cardboard and duct tape and then sleep there. They have a lot of fun building their cardboard houses and some of them can be quite fancy.
Last Year's Shantytown
My kids were busy getting their cardboard so they could start building. I will be going back in an hour or two so I can take pictures of their work!
That is so cool Dawn! Looks like a great fundraiser.
When I went to take pictures, my 12yo was hanging out with 4 church buddies and they were all SO wound up. I wonder how much they will really sleep!
Please update us on how she did when she gets home today!! I bet she had a blast!!
lol Vicki, she comes home at 3. I'm excited and can hardly wait
We are getting ready for church, but it was a long night last night. Middle dd couldn't sleep she missed Rachel. And youngest dd woke up at 6 thinking Rachel would be home by now.
That is really neat Dawn. I will have to go to the picture board or your website to see if you posted pics yet. I agree with Robin, that is a great fundraiser
Ok, they got back at 12:20 so the parents could just take them home after church.
Rachel said it was completely dark by the time the got there Friday night, but the Pastor and his wife had already pitched the tents and started a campfire.
Saturday, Rachel got up and helped with breakfast. Said the boys were of no help, I just laughed. They started out at 10 and took a 4 hour hike with a packed lunch. They got back at 3 and Rachel and her friend decided to take showers at that point. Becky took one first and then Rachel. Rachel noticed something between her toes and tried to remove it to notice it was huge blisters. Poison Oak. She probably got it around the house before she left and the long hike probably didn't help She kept her shoes off the rest of the afternoon and night. Had campfire, songs, smores, etc Saturday night.
Sunday morning feeling worse, but she helped make over 50 pancakes just her and becky (they are only 12). There were 3 boys, 3 girls and 5 adults. She said the boys ate most of the pancakes and didn't help to anything just annoyed them, lol! She only ate 2 and her and becky cleaned up the cooking area and packed it up. This is a girl who never went camping but she is extremely helpful at home.
She then packed up her stuff and placed it in the van and they rode home. She said two of the boys (ages 16 and 13) were terribly annoying the whole way home.
I picked her up shocked to see her foot. All I could think of was infection
Called the dr, he said he is concerned and will start her off with prednizone (sp?). If swelling in her foot persists (it looks like a balloon), and she starts a fever, or red streaks up her leg he wants to see her immediately. He will have to start her on antibiotics. (I had this once when I was 9)
All, in all she had a great time, there were smiles when she talked, but she had tears in her eyes when she saw me. She told me she couldn't wait to see me. I told her I missed her soooo much We hugged for awhile.
I sent her to bed. Dr. told me to keep her off her feet. She won't be going to school Monday and maybe Tuesday. She is a little bit irritable. I get that way when I get poison ivy/oak.
Dh went over for her medicine and mine (pinched nerve in neck).
Rachel is happy we will be spending the day together tomorrow.
It sounds as if Rachel was a real "trooper" on the trip. I hope the poison oak responds well to the medication. Keep us updated on how she does, please.
Marg, first, I love hearing how close the two of you are! How special!
Second, she did awesome sticking it out! Poison Oak-Ouch!! I'm glad she could still have some fun!
It's funny Eve (secretly I wanted all girls, lol). I always wanted to have a relationship like I had with my mom with my daughters (if that makes sense).
Rachel and I are very close and I guess that set the standard for our middle dd and youngest dd.
I'm close to each dd in a unique and special way which I guess in my mind is based on their personality.
With Rachel we can talk about anything.
With Shannon we goof off a lot together and that is how she opens up to me.
With Alyssa, we are still working on that. She acts mature beyond her years and it scares me.
I love having daughters
Marg, how is Rachael today???
Isn't so nice to have such a close relationship to your daughter. That how I and my mom always were, and I am hoping Alissa and I share that same great bond.
I have a great bond with both DS's, but its just something different with a girl.
Rachel is better today (not as cranky, poison makes us soooo cranky, makes your skin crawl).
Her foot is still swollen, that's what the dr. is worried about. Her blisters from the poison are huge, one looks to be 1-2" and they are all through her toes and on her foot. I'm hoping it doesn't get any worse.
Thanks for asking
I'm glad she had a good time!!!
Hopefully her foot is feeling better soon!
Yikes. I have managed to avoid poison oak and poison ivy in my life so far! I hope she is better soon.
Ug. Poor things. I've had poison ivy, but never poison oak. It's SO uncomfortable. My mom used to put calamine lotion all over us when we'd get it. My one brother would be pink all through hunting season (he'd get it from skinning rabbits and squirrels). Not cool for a teenage boy! lol I hope Rachel is feeling better soon.
|
Members
