Dear Mouthy Housewives,
My daughter left for sleep away camp a week and a half ago, and I am nauseous. I am just so sad. I feel like a part of me is missing. And I am paying for this experience!
There are still five and a half weeks to go. I never went to sleep away camp, but I know this will likely be a great experience for my daughter.
I've had a few calls with her, and she rated her experience so far an eight out of ten. So she's doing pretty well. But I'm a mess. How do I survive the rest of the summer?
Signed,
Mom the Mess
Image: Camp Pinewood via Flickr
Dear Mom the Mess,
I've never sent my kids to sleep away camp, either, but know plenty of families who have. There seems to be two kind of parents when it comes to their kid being away. There are the ones you find doing shots of Mad Dog while dancing the Macarena. And the ones who can't stop sobbing. Obviously, you fall into the second category.
You feel the way you feel. So don't beat yourself up over being sad.
You are responsible for your child 24/7 and then suddenly she is gone for the summer and of course it can make you feel lost. And yes, you will find yourself shoveling ice cream into your mouth while combing the camp website for a sighting of at least your kid's left elbow. Is the left elbow having fun? It looks like it's having fun!
So you're going to be sad. But that doesn't mean you can't be sad and productive. What projects have you been trying to get done around the house? What closet have you been meaning to clean out? Do it now!
Also - this is a great opportunity to give your other kids more one-on-one time and/or get more quality time with your spouse. You can even schedule some "me" time.
Listen, before you know it, your daughter will be home, probably driving you crazy, and you'll think, "Why didn't I clean out that closet when I had the time?" So seize the opportunity while you can. Wipe away your tears and don't miss that 7:30 pm showing of Magic Mike XXL.
Good luck,
Kelcey, TMH