Summer camp as seen from two very different perspectives

Today was the first day of summer camp for Sassy and The Bandit.  There have been two very different schools of thought around the Bright Compound regarding summer camp this year. The children are going to a new school when classes start up again in the fall.  The summer camp they’re going to is sponsored by the new charter school they are enrolled in. Their father and I thought it would be good, for Sassy especially, to meet some of the kids they’ll be going to school with.

Poor Sassy has been fretting about this a great deal.  She had a bit of a problem with a girl that bullied her off and on for the last several years.  On one hand she is happy about leaving that person behind, but worries that there might be a new bully for her to contend with.  You know the scenario: the devil that you know….

I’ve been trying to counsel her wisely, but it’s one of the more difficult Mommy jobs.  We are dissimilar in some integral ways: she is much more reticent than I am and trying new things isn’t something that comes naturally to her. I tell her that I can’t promise there will never be another bully in her life.  I assure her that even at 42, I still encounter bullies.  The trick is learning to deal with them.  But this is heavy stuff when your eight.  Hell, this is heavy stuff when you’re 42.

Making friends was the other fear that kept her up at night.  That’s another thing Mommy’s can’t do for you.  The poor girl is just certain no one will want to be her friend.

I tell her the same thing over and over – in this order of importance.  “Sassy, you’re smart, nice, funny and pretty.  That’s everything anyone ever wants in a friend.”  Poor thing.  I feel her pain and I just want her to gain more confidence.

When we arrived at camp this morning, The Bandit bounded from the car all a quiver with excitement.  Three of his best friends from day care will be with him again at the new school.  Yes, God help us (the God of time-outs and visits to the principals office) the Four Toddlers of the Apocalypse are back together again.  As soon as he saw his crew he was off and running.  There were fist bumps and giggling and and shrieking with glee.

Sassy however clung to me like a barnacle.

I found her teacher, a handsome young man whom I can see her transferring her crush to from her former gym teacher.  I introduced her and told him she was having first day jitters.  He smiled at her with ridiculously blue eyes and assured her that everyone was nervous, and yet still she clung.

I glanced around the group and saw so many girls with the same posture: arms crossed, barely banked panic in their eyes.  I picked the closest one. 

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

Her eyes grew as round as an owl’s. “Karen,” she squeaked.

“Hi, Karen.  This is Sassy.  Sassy this is Karen.  Now you both know someone. Cool, huh?”

And then I’ll admit to you that Sassy’s craven mother fled the scene.  Once she unclenched from my leg, I ran.