Jordan's next camp adventure was probably a little more common than not taking a sip of water, because of a possible spider encounter. I noticed along with her full water bottle, she also came home with most of her lunch Her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, daily piece of fruit, and a snack, basically transformed Jordan into a human bee-magnet.
Once she noticed the bees, she zipped up her princess lunchbox, and lunchtime was over. Was this shocking, or an unreasonable course of action? Of course not. But I did feel the need to explain to her that as kids are six or seven they should be trusted to eat, drink, and use the bathroom on their own. If they can't, they probably shouldn't be going to camp.
This conversation... I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Did what I tell her even make sense? Back in the day, when I was a psych major, I vaguely remember learning about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to Wikipedia, the physiological needs at the bottom of the pyramid are the:
"physical requirements for human survival. If these requirements are not met, the human body cannot function properly and will ultimately fail. Physiological needs are thought to be the most important; they should be met first." See?
But Jordan wasn't even seven years old. And I certainly didn't go to camp for a week when I was six years old. Makes you think, doesn't it?
In spite of everything, believe it or not, Jordan really did enjoy camp. Although it appeared that she struggled on a daily, even hourly basis, she told me that she "loved it." And we did try to compromise, so I would have some peace of mind. Like for our bathroom dilemma: She decided she would use the bathroom at home, right before leaving for camp, and then again when I picked her up, before the drive home. Of course, we walked to the inside, bug-free bathrooms. She also assured me that she would drink and eat, especially on the very hot days.
I had to show her that I believed in her. So I trusted her.
Camp definitely pushed Jordan out of her comfort zone, while also giving her some much needed autonomy from Kayla, Kevin and Me. She gained an immeasurable amount of confidence, and I'm sure that she learned things about herself that she never knew existed. That being said, I honestly believe that the knowledge I gained about her and her tendencies, was just as profound.
Completely and utterly as meaningful today, as it was twelve years ago. ;)
Thank you.
Us Too
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