Summer Camp . . .

I cannot believe I am thinking summer camp, in the middle of January.  Oh, how I wish to be a kid again!  The only summer camps I attended when I was a kid were those through my church.  I don't remember the age, I remember the setting.  Rural, dirt trails, trees, mile hikes to EVERYTHING and lots of worship . . . lots.

My husband attended summer camps but his were either educational or sports in nature.  He is a bit of a brainiac!  He went to TIPS - a Talent Identification Programs hosted through Duke University, West Point, Dartmouth, Baylor and many other sports camps like soccer, baseball, swimming. A bit of a brainiac jock . . . best of both worlds!

We both look back on those esperiences fondly, the friends we made, experiences we had and yet we are both crazy envious of the camp our oldest goes to for two weeks.

  Back when my sone was 4 he attended an exclusive private school.  It was to be a great feeder school to the best private schools in Dallas.  Morning carpool and afternoon carpool were works of a genius.  This lane flows here, that flows there - one time around and you have your child. IF you skipped the process you could expect to see the schene from Mr. Mom, when he messes up carpool.  It was in that carpool I saw stickers on the back of cars.  The sticker read "ATTAWAYTOGO".  I thought I want to go, so I checked into it.

After doing my research I talked to my husband - he couldn't believe I would EVER want to send our sweet baby away to summer camp much less one without electricity.  He jokingly mentioned it to his two law partners, who said "we send our kids there."  Blake was considered a legacy, he and his wife both attended the camp as kids, his brother-in-law did also and all 6 of their kids.  NOW my husband was paying attention.

Just this morning we went to a camp carnival.  This was a Camp Longhorn Camp carnival which allows the kids to earn merits.  Camp Longhorn is all about respect, yes sirs, no sir, please and thank you, how are you today sir?  They encourage good behavior through a merit program.  You make your bunk, 1 merit.  You swim the mile - 1 merit.  You use kind words, good behavior, and meet new friends - you get 1 merit.

Camp Longhorn is a throw back to when times were more simple.  The cabins are wood frame with mesh - the bunk beds are made of metal with thin mattresses.  No AC, no electricity, no cell phones!  There are no computers to distract, or video games to play.  You instead sail, swim, fish, hike, play sports, shoot guns, archery and about 1 million other things to do.

This will be our oldest son's third trip to camp this summer. We miss him terribly while at camp.  But we understand for him this is a life experience.  He learns to get along, fend for himself, and grow as a young man.  I cannot speak more highly of Camp Longhorn.  You may not send your child to Camp Longhorn but do send them away.  The benefits of them going far outweigh you missing them

So, where are you sending your children to summer camp so they can have the time of their lives?

Happy Pinning