Ilana Wilesのインスタグラム(mommyshorts) - 7月9日 12時37分

A few people have told me they miss seeing Mazzy in my stories. IMAGINE HOW I FEEL!!! All week, we’ve been looking through photo galleries that the camp sends us nightly, searching the faces for our daughter and then searching her face for signs of happiness. In the first couple of days, she looked a little shell shocked. Not sad. Just a little overwhelmed and unsure. In the next few days of photos, I couldn’t really tell. She was with other kids and at fun activities, but giving that same face she often gives me when I take pictures of her. Her obligatory close-lipped someone-is-taking-a-photo-of-me smile. Also, in group pics, she always seemed to be a little off to the side. Not by herself or anything but not fully invested in the group either. My favorite is trying to discern her state of mind from the back of her head. And then yesterday, I finally saw it. One week in. There she was in the middle of a picture with her bunk mates instead of on the outskirts. Clearly happy. And I noticed someone else was wearing her dress to what looked like a social, which made me feel good that she was sharing her stuff. And then today, the ultimate proof of happiness— a smile with TEETH! I guess this is the benefit of sending your kid to camp for more than a week. And why we aren’t allowed to talk to her until week two. You give them a chance to find their bearings, get used to being away from home, establish some friendships... and then they really get to enjoy themselves. First phone call is tomorrow! #thebigkidyears #sleepawaycamp

[BIHAKUEN]UVシールド(UVShield)

keating415 Our 4yo goes to camp 1/2 day and I search those photos like a crazy person to find him! Asking him what they did at camp gets me nowhere, it’s really a guessing game. I use their IG posts to create questions of what he might have done. When I drop him off, pick him up & see him anywhere in a pic I look for those signs that tell me he’s happy and feels safe. We drive ourselves batty with worry, but feel such relief when we know we are doing the right things for them!

s.pilwick Thanks for sharing your experiences with this! I went to camp for 2 weeks every year and then all summer as a staff member. I've always wanted my kids to go to camp (the one I went too if possible). My girls are 7 and 4. I was thinking next year for my big girl to try for a week. But it's a good point that it can take them a week just to get settled. Hmm. This is making me lean towards at least 2 weeks. Or maybe wait until she is 9. Decisions!

lissie1018 I love this I got a bunch of crap from my parents for putting my almost 4 year old in 2 camps this summer, one was science and one was dance. She loves them and is a social butterfly and I feel she has more fun at camp then doing some things that her and I do. I was offered to put her in half or full day camp but tossed the idea around is she to small for this or should I just send her for a week and see how it goes??

whirlwind151 My big girls are working at a sleep away camp- I have seen them once since June 22- for 9 hours when they came home to do laundry and sleep in their own beds. I miss them a lot but are glad they are together and they seem like they are having so much fun. Thankfully they are able to text at night. That’s great camp sends you pictures- that’s the one thing I hate about the camp my girls used to go to.

bentleyliz1 Once at camp my friend had to leave bc of an eating disorder (we were maybe 12? Sad) and I wrote my mom the saddest letter ever and obviously she was distraught when she got it and called the camp during the day and insisted that they let her talk to me and I got on the phone and was like ‘what? Oh yeah I guess I was sad that day. Fine now!!!’ Camp emotions change so quickly !!!

amandarose0321 The photos are a lifesaver! We saw our first photos about 3 days after the start of camp last year and I was SO relieved! I know exactly what you mean about the “real” smile. You just know. And then I got the first letter after about a week and I felt like I breathed for the first time since he’d left. He was having fun!!

>> 飲む日焼け止め！「UVシールド」を購入する