Summer camp was a big part of my childhood while growing up in Southern California. I will always remember the courage it took me to attend camp for the very first time and how I have carried that courage with me throughout my life.
I was the oldest of three siblings, so I was the first child to be shipped off to summer camp by myself. In 1994 my mom registered me for a week-long camp session in the nearby mountains. I was just six years old!
I didn’t think much about camp when she first told me about it, I just said I would go. We went shopping for basic necessities, like a sleeping bag, warm clothes and hygiene products. I packed my bag and then the big day came where she drove me to the Boys and Girls Club to hop on the bus to go to camp.
We got out of the car and immediately when I saw the bus my stomach churned. I turned to my mom and said, “I don’t want to go.”
I was so distraught that I had to run to the bathroom to relieve myself. It was the first time I had ever felt that nervous before in my life. My mom was there to check that I was okay.
I came out from the bathroom and sat on a bench with my mom. She said I would have a great time and encouraged me to get on the bus. After thinking about it and feeling more calm, I said okay. I started making my way towards the line of children handing their bags to the bus driver in the parking lot.
The bus driver took my bag and set it in the storage compartment. I walked onto the bus and sat down not knowing any of the other children there. Soon the bus started up and I waved goodbye to my mom as she stood in the parking lot looking up at me.
I remember many things about my first time at camp, but the most memorable thing I remember was coming home exclaiming how much fun I had and that I couldn’t wait to go again. I thought about all the fun I would have missed out on if I had not gotten on the bus.
I returned to the same camp for five summers and even went to other camps. I never felt as nervous again as the first time, and instead felt excitement and joy as I got on the bus.
During my teen years I even attended camp out of state which entailed taking a flight there and navigating around an airport by myself. After graduating high school I went on to be a foreign exchange student and embarked on an unforgettable journey out of the country.
I really think the courage I obtained from the first time attending camp at six years old carried on with me throughout my childhood and into adult life. I am not sure if I would have ever had the same courage if I had never gotten on that bus the first time.
I am always supportive of sending children to camp and letting them venture off on their own to a degree. It is really a unique experience to leave home for the first time.
Common organizations parents connect with to find summer camps for their children are the Boys and Girls Club and YMCA. These organizations often partner with camps and offer affordable rates for children to attend.
For more information or feedback, feel free to email info(at)atheistmoms.com.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels.
Lauren Ell was born and raised in Southern California. She was raised in what she calls a “secular” Christian household. She has been living in Sweden since 2016 with her Swedish partner, and gave birth to her first child in 2019.