Camp

I've been working at Emily Oaks this summer and we just finished the first day of session two. I love this job, it comes very naturally to me to act like a kid. All the kids last session loved me and today one of my new campers told me i was his favorite "teacher" to date. I think I'm good at this because I understand on a very personal level how much rules can suck. It's not like I can run a free-for all program though so I'm getting pretty good at compromising with the kids. I make sure to always listen to their stories when it's okay for them to be talking. i let them run through the off-path trails at Emily Oaks when we aren't doing a program, and I play with them whenever we have free time so they see that I want them to have fun and the rules aren't that impeding on a good time.
the kids last session had an amazing time at camp. Family night was actually really beautiful and meaningful. we had a floating bonfire on the pond and we burned memory sticks that each camper had imprinted with a memory earlier in the week. We sang "Linger" a lovely song that goes like this.

Mmm hmm, I want to linger
mm mmm, a little longer
mm mm, a little longer here with you.

mmhmm it's such a perfect night
mmhmm it doesn't seem quite right
mmhmm that it should be my last with you

mm mm and come september,
mmhmm, i will remember
mmhmm our camping days and friendships true


mmhmm, and as the years go by,
mmhmm, i'll think of you and sigh,
mmhmm it's just good night and not good bye



very beautiful and campy. i love camp.