And by "happy" I mean "not too miserable".Ok, maybe "not too miserable" is a little negative. They like their new camp alright. But they just don't like admitting it.
A week into their stay at Park Slope Day Camp, things are looking up.
And by "looking up", I mean no more teary meltdowns at drop-off.
The first few days were a little rocky. Both girls donned their matching camp shirts and put a on a brave front. But when it came to leaving them there at camp, things got a little "intense".
Day 1 was on a Tuesday and both mommy and daddy dropped them off.
Stella was clingy, but ok. I stayed with her. Marni was meltdown city and clung to Lisa till the bitter end. But at pickup they were both happy and told us they had a great time.
I would have a great time too given the fantastic activities that await the kids every day. Horseback riding, swimming at a pool, frolicking at a beach, puppet shows, karate, arts & crafts, amusement parks, and field trips of every imaginable type.
Damn! I want to go to this place!
But our kids are a tough sell, and day 2 was a disaster. Lisa texted me after the traumatic drop-off that she was never doing this again. Both kids had meltdowns and Lisa needed the help of several camp counselors to pry Marni lose.
Later that night I had a "family meeting" with the girls and asked them why they cried when mommy dropped them off, but they are ok when daddy drops them off. The final explanation was that daddy "just did it better".
Now I have my mornings cut out for me as the official kid dropper offer at camp. Daddy's no-more-tears drop-off method is in full effect.
So mornings have gotten better and the kids are having a blast during the day. At pickup Lisa tells me that the girls are happy and that Marni is an absolute animal. Running around, attacking her counselors, and refusing to leave.
In the end it was well worth all the effort that Lisa put into finding Park Slope Day Camp. Stella and Marni will never appreciate how much money it costs to send them to this place. At the end of the day they come home dirty and tired. And happy. Singing songs they've never sang before, and showing us stuff they've learned during their day.
And that's all that matters.
