Reality Check

So I'm now two weeks into my camp experience so I thought I'd drop by and give a slight reality check.

It's amazingly good fun, but nothing you can ever read can prepare you for some of the things that happen in camp....

- Having a child who will just pee themselves.  Repeatedly.  While fully conscious.  And then lie about it.
- Having children just take off running.  And then leap over the fence and dive into the pool.
- Being woken up at 2am on Camp Out by a child screaming that there was something in the woods.
- Being woken up at 3am on Camp Out by a child who wants the bathroom.  Then arguing with said child until 6am to try and get said child to pee behind a tree.
- Having an entire cabin-worth of children crying of homesickness.  All at once.  Every single one of them.
- How flirtatious some of those pre-pubescent girls can be.  Guys beware of this.  Girls, if they keep acting up, don't let them go talk to the male counsellors so they're "talking to someone about it".  That will be a reward.
- How incredibly whiny some of these children can get.
- Having to function on no sleep yet still having to be happy happy HAPPY!
- Feeling like you're living in a musical - you will be expected to sing and dance almost constantly.
- Going out into the "real world" and feeling compelled to sing whenever someone says certain words ("Oh!" gives me the uncontrollable urge to break out into "OH!  A Pay-Day!  A Snicker, Snicker, Milky Way!").
- Going out into the "real world" and having to resist the urge to speak to everyone like they're a camper ("Hey, good job!  That was awesome!").
- Going out into the "real world" and having to resist the urge to raise your hand to get people's attention and be silent ("Hands are up, mouths are closed!").
- Having certain songs in your head constantly.  Justin Beiber is a main contender.  Closely followed by One Direction.
- How slowly some of your campers will walk.
- How far ahead some of your campers will run.
- How tactile these children are.  You are fair game as far as they're concerned.  They will play with your hair if it's not tied back.  They will play with your jewellery if you're wearing some.  They will hug you constantly.  It all sounds sweet, but the phrase "Hands to yourself" will soon be your most repeated sentence.

But it's also really good, there's nothing that can prepare you for how much these children can touch your heart!

- How sweet it is to see a camper come running up to you to give you a hug before they leave.
- Having a camper bring their Mom over to you to introduce her to you.
- Having an adorable message passed to you from a camper by another counsellor.
- The look on a child's face when you make them a birthday card and get your activity class to sign it for them.  Bless his heart, it wasn't even that good a card but he was so incredibly grateful.
- Having a child leap up and yell your name in delight because you walk into a room and they haven't seen you for a couple of hours.
- How much you will miss some of them when they're gone.
- Having children begging to know if you'll be back with them next year.
- Having children cry because they loved camp so much, and loved you so dearly, that they don't want to leave.
- How appreciative some of them are about everything, whether it's s'mores, getting three meals a day or just having a shoulder to cry on when they miss their moms.
- Having a child buy candy with "money" they worked hard to earn at camp (we have a reading programme where they earn "Bucks" each time they read a book, then "cash them in" at the end of session), then give half of it to their counsellors.
- How some of the most challenging groups can become your favourite.  I had one journalism class that made me feel like I needed to go for a lie down after their lesson, but they were the highlight of my day.  They were the bright spot on some difficult, long days.  They honestly kept me going sometimes!  I will miss every one of those sweet, wonderful, darling children.
- Hearing a 9 year old tell a child who is complaining that they're "starving" that "No you're not.  We have all the food we can eat, we just have to wait until it's our turn".  They are so incredibly sweet and perceptive sometimes.

Camp is the most chaotic, frantic, exhausting, wonderful experience I have ever had.  These children are both the most angelic and most monstrous people you will ever come across.  Every day they will make you want to laugh and cry at the same time.

It's long, difficult days, but they are absolutely worth it.