Author: Kim Aycock

Hey Teresa…

I have finally decided to take the plunge and sign Vivian up to attend four weeks of camp in Northern Wisconsin at Camp Woodland next summer!  She will soon be turning 11, and I think the timing is perfect.

I attended ten 8-week summers there when I was a kid, and it was one of the most formative experiences of my childhood. This past summer I took Viv with me to my first camp reunion, and while I have been in touch over the years with many friends, I can’t begin to describe how magical it was to be back at camp and to see about 100 of my closest friends from across the US and Mexico. (About 25% of campers and counselors are from Mexico…sent in large part to practice their English.) Most of us have kids now and a few are already sending them!

The third generation of the Jordan family is now running Woodland, as well as Towering Pines, Woodland’s brother camp for boys about a mile and a half down the road. JoAnne, Jeff, and Susan along with their children (fourth generation!) are currently operating the camps. My brother Fritz loved his summers up North so much that he now lives about five miles away from the camps…he never left!

Viv asked me to forward you some information for Greta, just in case she might be interested. In my day there was only the 8-week option. The “full” summer has been shortened to six weeks to accommodate various school calendars, but they also offer two or four week sessions.

Swimming, sailing, gymnastics, dance, riding, archery, farm zoo, crafts, tennis, overnight canoe trips, campfires, olympics, fair, camp birthday, on and on and on! 🙂 But more than anything else, I remember Woodland as one of the safest, most beautiful places on earth, both emotionally and physically. And I remember the exact moment as a 12 year old when I realized that Woodland was more than just a collection of rustic cabins and knobby kneed gals. Somehow the activities, the friendships and the shared experiences created a magical and meaningful wonderland!

Anyway, before I go on and on, see what you think. I know it sounds crazy, and it’s a significant commitment of time and resources. It’s about an 8-hour drive up to Eagle River from Des Moines. Viv is signed up and ready to go, so of course no pressure whatsoever.

I know I would never be able to send Viv so far away to just any camp, but this place is in my bones.

Emy

I think it is safe to say that by now everyone is “back to school”!  As much as we would like to stretch out summer as much as possible, somehow those lazy days quickly turn to carpools, backpacks, homework, extracurricular activities, and counting the days until camp begins once again!

Throughout the upcoming year, each month will have a blog that is “sponsored” by a different Woodland cabin from the Summer of 2015.  Each camper wrote her “favorite things” or “best moments at camp”…here is a little more about Treetops, the sponsor for this month:

Favorite Things:

Abbi: archery, free swim, gymnastics, swim lessons, riding

Monica: everyone is super nice!, sailing, chicken patties, Pirate Day, soccer

Tori: everyone is super inviting, everything is FUN!, the food!, the friends I made, archery

The best thing that happened to me at camp:

Monica: when I made progress in swimming lessons

Molly: being able to come to camp and meeting with all my friends

Makayla: making a new friend

Sofi: making new friends

Isa: EVERYTHING!

Describe an achievement for which you are most proud:

Isa: passing levels in swimming, riflery, and archery

Sofi: going to camp by myself

Makayla: trying new activities

Molly: coming to camp for 6 weeks, getting over fears, and being brave

Monica: passing level in archery

The thing I learned most about myself:

Makayla: that I can be outgoing

Isa: I have to trust myself to be honest and friendly

Sofi: never talk badly about another person

Molly: Sometimes I set standards way too high for myself and I don’t need to do that.  I like who I am!

It happened again. You know the look. You know the comments. And this time it was from another mom who I respect, has a great attitude, and is raising wonderful children. My daughter, Maya, and I were talking with a friend and her daughter about Maya’s summer camp experience at Woodland.

Maya: “…And next summer I want to go back for six weeks.”

Other mom gasps loudly: “I would never let you go for that long, Sweetie!” (hugging her daughter tightly)

Other mom’s daughter: “I would never want to go for that long, Mom.” (hugging back and smiling)

Okay, I know the drill. I went to Woodland for eight weeks when I was nine. I went for ten summers after that for eight weeks. There was never a two week or four week session when I attended. There was a reason for the long session. The same magic in terms of growth, confidence, and perseverance just can’t happen in two weeks. I remember Anne Jordan explaining it to me when I was a counselor during pre-camp. The same way she explained to me when I was a camper that if she let me call my mom during camp not only would I not feel better, I would feel worse. She was right on both accounts.

Now, as a mother who has experienced the loss of a child, I don’t think I would have sent my daughter if Woodland did not have a two week session. I am grateful for the shortened option because now both Maya and I will be better prepared for the separation next summer.

So, what to do about these parents who would “never” let their daughters go to camp for so long? The ones who tell me they love their daughters too much to let them go. Do they understand they are implying I do not love my child? Some seem to think we are somehow damaging our children by sending them away from us for several weeks.

I know the best response to this is to dismiss it and not care what anyone else thinks. Most of the time I can remember what camp did for me, and let go. Every once in a while, though, I start to question my choice. I am “losing” all this time I could have with my daughter. How can I send her away and let other people take care of her for so long? Will she be okay? Will she get hurt? Will she feel alone when I am not there for her?

All these questions bring me back to three things: my own practical life experience at camp, inner strength, and faith.

I know the gifts camp gave me: confidence in myself in areas other than sports, meaningful and deep lifetime friendships, LOTS of time in nature, and exposure to activities I would not have had at home. Why wouldn’t I want to give this to my daughter?

Knowing how it enriched my life, how could I not let her go? When I am clear about this, I know it truly is a priceless gift to give my daughter. But our society and culture seem so different now than when I was a child. The parenting is different, the activity level is different, and what our children are exposed to is different. It seems to me that it takes more than the knowledge that extended overnight camp is a valuable experience in order to take the plunge. It takes inner strength and faith.

It takes the strength to dismiss the other parents’ reactions – respecting what they need to do in their own families -while calling upon the gifts I received from attending camp. It takes the faith that my daughter will be taken care of well. It will be different from how she is taken care of at home, and this is okay, even good. She will have camp sisters to help her through the hard times. It takes faith (still working on this one) to know if I don’t get a call home from JoAnne, everything is fine. It might not be perfect, but it is fine.

Let’s face it: Six weeks can be a long time to be separated from our children. I am relatively certain Maya did better in the two weeks we were away from each other than I did. Seeing her again, and having her home again is wonderful. Even in the short time of two weeks I noticed subtle changes; growth that I’m pretty sure would not have occurred for her if she was at home attending a day camp.

If you’re reading this, you already understand the gift of extended overnight camp for your daughter. But for anyone who still has insecurity or doubts when other parents’ comments come your way, just know you are not alone. We are in this together. And that is just one more gift Camp Woodland gives us all.

by Susan Austin Short, Woodland Alum and Parent

Dear JoAnne, 

Ever since my daughter returned home from camp, she refuses to wear anything that isn’t Woodland blue or tie-dyed.  All she talks about is the fun she had at camp, stories about her cabin mates, and how many days there are until camp next summer.  She claims that she hears a bell ringing periodically throughout the day.  She won’t stop singing camp songs or looking at the online photos on the Woodland website.  She even makes her bed every morning and asks if she can “hop” during dinner.  She insists that I ask you for Susan’s lasagna recipe and is now putting ketchup on potato chips.  Help!  Can you please explain to me what is going on with my daughter?

 A Concerned Parent

Dear Woodland Parent,

Thanks for your letter; I can assure you that what your daughter is experiencing right now sounds like a typical case of  “campsickness”.  Not to worry…YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  I receive calls and emails from parents every year at this time wondering what is happening to their camper(s).  Trust me, campsickness is not necessarily a bad thing; it just means that your daughter(s) had an AMAZING summer, and they are sad to leave their camp friends.  It is normal to miss the nonstop activity and fun that camp offers at every turn.  Coming home to an empty room can be a bit of a shock after the excitement of constant interaction with a community of girls.

I have every confidence that she will adjust to being at home again; it just takes a little time.  You can let her know that we will be corresponding with her (and you!) over the course of the winter via mail, email, and various social media.  There are all kinds of ways she can stay connected to our camp family, and before you know it, we will be headed to Woodland for another fantastic summer!

Woodland Love,

JoAnne

p.s. The theme for 2016 is: Everything Clicks in 1-6!

Bug juice, s’mores, sleeping in a bunk bed, sharing a bathroom with 10 other people, getting canteen at Rec Swim, being the “hopper” at meals, playing tetherball, shaving your legs at the spigot, running to get your mail after lunch, hanging out at rest hour, and putting ketchup on chips at Sunday night picnic are just a FEW things that many people who don’t go to camp or who have never been to camp just wouldn’t understand.

Here are few other examples to further illustrate my point:

You can never have too many friendship bracelets!

What is your favorite color of Crocs?!

Rain boots are not just for rainy days!

Everything is better tie-dyed!

Special talents that only make sense at weekly campfire challenges…

Dressing up like TP boys for a campfire skit

Showing your Olympic Spirit

 Hard core for both teams!

Clown Contest for Woodland Fair

It’s Time for Spoon Assassins!

p.s. “It’s a Camp Thing” is the theme for Co-Ed Show 2015!