Yesterday, I sent my teenage daughter to a summer church camp an hour a way from home. She had been bugging me about going to this camp for two years. She has a late birthday and has to be 13 to go. This year, she's going. This past week, I filled out medical forms, helped her back her bag, bought her toiletries such as bug spray and sunscreen, a new swim suit and shorts, got her hair braided...she was really excited about going.
When her ride came, she was ready. Then she said her goodbyes to her little sister and cousins. When she got to me, she hid her face and hugged me tight. My teen burst into tears and said: "Mom, I never been away from you this long ever. I don't want to go."
Her reaction took me by surprise. I hugged her tighter and watcvhed her wipe her eyes underneath her glasses. I replied: "I want you to go and have fun. This is an opportunity, I don't want you to miss." I reminded her that I went to Orlando, Florida on business for a week. Then I thought about. She talked to me every day when I was away. Sometimes three and four times a day.
She really needed this break away from me. I know the camp and pastoral staff there, her cousin would be with her, and she needs to become her own person. (There are days I don't like it when she exerts her own authority, but this summer, we needed a break from each other.) I let her younger sister travel down with her and my sister was going to help her unpack. I couldn't go because it's a rural camp and beind temporarily disabled makes walking on unpaved surfaces tough.
As she got into the car, I told her again to enjoy her adventure and I'd see her in a week. Her tear-stained face tried to put on a good front, but it didn't work. I knew she'd be fine, but she has to know it too. I walked back into my house and shut the door. With my teen being gone, I'd get to spend some time with her sister. I'd be down one child and have a liitle bit more time to myself. By the end of the week, I knew her first-time-being-away-from-mom-for-a-week-experience would make or break her. I'm hoping it makes her.
Posted By: Marsha Jones
Tuesday, July 6th 2010 at 1:07PM
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