The View from The Johnsons: Camp Packing FAIL

Monday, June 27, 2011

Camp Packing FAIL

Spencer went to sleep-away camp for the first time!

We dropped him off on Sunday and we pick him up on Friday. He's there with some of his buddies from school. His counselor was a very sweet, soccer-playing college kid from England. (How cool is that?) I really was quite at ease as we drove away. I sent a care-package; we've written letters and emails. All's well... until...

Tonight.

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Here's the packing list the camp provided that we used to pack Spence:

Camper :)
Sleeping bag and/or sheets/blanket
Pillows and Case
Towels
Wash cloth
Laundry bag
Swimsuit
Shorts
One pair of clothes for getting muddy
Jeans
Light jacket
Tops or T-shirts
Hat/ball cap
Socks
Underwear
Boots
Shoes
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
Stationary, stamps, pen
Toiletry items:shampoo, conditioner, soap etc.
Flashlight
Shower Shoes
Disposable Camera

What's missing? Do you see it? If you don't, you're a bad mom... like me...

PAJAMAS!

My boy is at sleep-away camp WITH NO PAJAMAS. Camp is only 45 minutes away. Guess where I'm going to be first thing tomorrow?

And, now. I'm going to try to go to bed and convince myself that he's learning valuable lessons about going with the flow... rolling with the punches... taking things in stride... and all the other cliches I can think of to make myself feel better.

*insert maternal angst here*

Comments (9)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

0 Vote up Vote down

Kathy · 717 weeks ago

No worries. I'm sure he'd improvise. Let's see.... baseball cap, socks and underwear. Done. Not the most attractive ensemble, but it'll do. The baseball cap is to keep the bugs out of his hair, because you know, there's no worse thing at camp than bugs in your hair, which is awfully close to ears. I think you know where I stand on this issue.
My recent post My Divorce is Final

2 replies · active 717 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ali_Johnson 80p · 717 weeks ago

see, kathy. you're a girl who knows how to go with the flow. i'm sending him to camp at your house next.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ali_Johnson 80p · 717 weeks ago

and THAT'S why you're my go with the flow hero, kathy. next excursion for spence - YOUR HOUSE!
My recent post The Thrilling Conclusion to the Pajama Crisis

0 Vote up Vote down

Lisa · 717 weeks ago

I packed PJs for Kyle's first camping trip with his dad. It was REALLY cold and dad told him he didn't need pjs, just sleep in his clothes. My sweet baby - 5 at the time - insisted that if mom packed them he should wear them and he was not sleeping in his clothes - yuck. Dad had a talk with mom when they got home. Apparently real campers don't wear pjs. Oh . . . :-D

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ali_Johnson 80p · 717 weeks ago

geez! we moms just can't win for losing, can we, lis?!
My recent post Camp Packing FAIL

+1 Vote up Vote down

eatlivelaugh 97p · 717 weeks ago

Oh, please - he'll be happy sleeping in his unders. It's hot!!!! And at least you remembered on the first night opposed to being reminded when you picked him up on Friday!!!
My recent post Best Ever Chocolate Ice Cream.

1 reply · active 717 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ali_Johnson 80p · 717 weeks ago

that's true. undie sleeping is the way DAD'S do it, right?! that's got to be cool. (and, thanks. now i'm dreading what i'm going to be reminded of at pick-up on friday! ;)
My recent post The Thrilling Conclusion to the Pajama Crisis

0 Vote up Vote down

callie feyen · 717 weeks ago

When my daughter started preschool, she had JUST been potty trained, and one of the things that was at the top of the list was "extra pair of clothes in case of accidents." I, um, missed that item, but thankfully her teacher wrote a nice l'il note home to me letting me know to put some pants in Hadley's bag ASAP.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Ali_Johnson 80p · 717 weeks ago

who puts the MOST IMPORTANT item at the TOP of a list?! ;)
My recent post The Thrilling Conclusion to the Pajama Crisis