Summer Camp From Hell

Our five year-old has been looking forward to summr camp for almost two months now.  We searched for a great place...decided to go with the YMCA near my office.  It's a hell of a commute for both of us but my colleagues raved about it.  The price tag was also pretty cha-ching as well.  We would love to keep him home over the summer and do fun stuff however,  due to our never having found a CRAZY OLD BAT exterminator,  too much exposure to the poor old loon would be too much.  So...today was the first and last day at the YMCA. Here is the email I just sent to the camp director...

"Dear Camp Director,

Our son started summer camp today in the five year old group.  When I dropped him off, I was shown where his room was.  I introduced him to the councelor in the room, and then asked what we should do.  We were instructed to hang up his backpack...that's it.  I hung out for a moment and helped him make an introduction to one of his camp-mates and then left him in the camp's care. 

Before I got to my car I was a bit taken aback when I saw my child on the packed playground of children of all ages...looking lost and being pushed aside by much larger children as he tried to climb up the slide.  I stayed for a few moments to observe and thouht that there were way too many children in this space and that the age range was a bit overwhelming (all of the older children swinging and sliding while the younger children stood and watched.) Hoping that my boy and his new friend could find some space to play, I left for work. 

When I arrived to pick him up, the moment he reached me he burst into tears.  He was trying to tell me that he got a red on his swim test.  Knowing that he is in no way a perfectionist,  I was confused as to why he would be upset.   On the long drive home, we talked it out and here is what I believe is the problem...lack of direction.  The poor guy did not know the that the swim test was just that....a test.  He thought that was how swim lessons went (you tell him to get in the pool, make him see if he can tred water, he goes under and then gets taken out of the pool to sit on the side and cry.) He was dreading afternoon swim and cried until he heard the news that it was cancelled.   Additionally, he asked me if he could use his sneakers to get to the pool because he didn't like walking barefeet.  When I asked him why he didn't use his flip flops, he said he couldn't find them.  They were on the bottom of his bag.  No one helped him find them...maybe he didn't ask for help however, a little help from a counselor noticing that he had bare feet would have made a huge difference.

At lunch he ate all his food including his snacks.  So, here too I believe that little if any direction had being given.   No one told him to set his snacks aside because there would be an afternoon snack time.

This child had a very tough day.  He is a smart kid and follows directions well.  I feel like the drop off and pick up were a completly overwhelming experience for him coupled with a sense of being lost throughout.  

Tomorrow, I will be calling on you to speak about this further.  I will walk up to you and introduce myself (this morning you seemed to think my boy was a returning camper so it is safe to say that you don't really know who I am although you are the one who gave us the tour, assured us that the children are well taken care of and then took our money.) "

Feeling extra frazzled today...like I left my poor little five year-old out in the whild to fend for himself.