"Church Camp"

Elaine & Reagan Moore

One day last week, my friend Elaine mentioned that her daughter Reagan was going to F.R.O.G. ("Fully Rely on God") Camp at church. I'd never heard of such a thing, because we missed the bulletin announcement when we were at the lake for the Fourth, but since Reagan is exactly the same age as Jones, I wanted to know more.

Turns out, our church preschool - which is where I'd want the boys to go to school, if they were gonna go to school - was hosting a day camp for kids 2-6. If you're doing the math at home, that means that BOTH of my boys could attend, while I did things, like cleaning out closets and drinking Frappucinos as I read the book on which Lin-Manuel Miranda's brilliant Hamilton is based.

TO WHOM DO I MAKE OUT THE CHECK?!

After I registered, I wasn't sure what to expect, to be honest. I knew Freddie would go with the flow - but Jones is a wild card. He could love it or hate it. Or he could not let me leave the building without acting like I'd just pulled both of his bottom back teeth without anesthesia, so I built it up all weekend while we were at the lake - how he'd be going to "church camp" and how he'd be playing on the playground and EVEN EATING LUNCH THERE - but I knew that all my preparation would have absolutely ZERO bearing on how he responded when I walked out the door.

As it played out, he did great. He held my skirt, walking into the building, but after just a few minutes  - and with absolutely no whining or anything - he walked right over and started playing with someone else's toys, while I snuck out - unnoticed. It was kind of miraculous.

When I went back to pick him up, he talked NON-STOP on the drive home. He was so excited about his day. It was absolutely awesome to see him do so well. He was so excited, in fact, that, though I figured he'd be dead asleep all afternoon, he never went to sleep at all. Instead, he talked and talked - reliving, I guess, his morning of glory.

I'm thinking that may have been the downfall of today.

I noticed when he was eating breakfast today that he wasn't playing, like he usually does. He was just sitting on the sofa, sipping his milk. He looked - and acted - tired. On the way to "church camp," he barely said a word. Again, he clung to my skirt as we followed Freddie into the building, but before too long, he was off and involved with the toy grill, so I was off and involved with a four count of Chicken Minis.

I had a great, productive morning, praying, as I worked, about whether or not we should reconsider our "no-preschool" decision and enroll the boys for two days a week.

My happy bubble of jubilant freedom burst, however, when I picked up the boys at the end of their day. One of the super sweet teachers told me Freddie did great, but Jones had had a few "episodes."

UGH.

"Did he pitch fits?" I asked.
"Yes. And he just didn't want to participate in some things, so we didn't force it."

UGH.

I am so glad she told me, but daggonit, Jones. She said, apparently, when it was time to come in from the playground, she had to physically go out and carry him in. I have seen this scene a hundred times myself, so I know exactly how it all went down - the screaming and crying and shouting, "NO TALKING!"

The lead teacher - who is also the head of the preschool - jovially asked me how I wanted them to handle him, if it happened again. I laughed and said, "I was hoping YOU could tell ME! He's done this to me, too!"

When we got home, I made sure he knew that he is not allowed, under ANY circumstances, to disobey his teacher. I also told him if he gets a bad report tomorrow, he's not going back to church camp. He then took a three hour nap from which I had to wake him after 5 p.m., so I'm not trying to excuse his behavior, but I DO think exhaustion is at its root.

These are their crown crafts from today.

At least, I hope it is.  I don't want to have to give up the rest of my mornings this week! I also don't want him to miss out on the lessons they're learning. They whole week is about children in the Bible and how God used them, though they were little.

I hung Freddie's Moses & Miriam craft from yesterday on his cork board in his room, and Jones asked me to hang his on his wall, so I did. When I pinned the crown he made today (I think it was David becoming king at an early age?), Jones looked at it and said, "It's so boo-tih-fool!" So I don't want him to miss out on this great stuff.

Nor do I want him to think he can act like he did today and get away with it.

Oy, vey.

At least, something funny happened today. Look at this conversation with Jeremy. As my friend Leslie put it when I texted her the screen shot, "LOL! Jeremy, please never change."

Here's to better days ... and more Chicken Minis ... tomorrow.