Recently, in Marginalizing Off-Droppers, I criticized the insane obsession parents have with dumping their kids elsewhere - and mentioned briefly the wintertime focus on *summer camp*. To extend this rant, check out this exchange I had last night with a *mom* from Scituate, Massachusetts.
ScituateMom - I'm tired. I was up at 5am this morning.
CaptiousNut - So was I, actually 4:45am to get ready for golf. What were you doing?
ScituateMom - I had to get in line for summer camp registration.
CaptiousNut - What?
ScituateMom - I had to get in line for summer camp registration.
CaptiousNut - What do you mean?
ScituateMom - I was scared all night that I wouldn't wake up. I woke up like three times.
CaptiousNut - WHAT are you talking about?
ScituateMom - And there was already a bunch of people there. I got the 10th spot...
CaptiousNut - WHOA, wait a minute. You mean you had to essentially camp out to register your kids for the town's little summer rec camp.
ScituateMom - Yeah.
CaptiousNut - When did the doors open?
ScituateMom - There's only 15 spots for the young kids....The first person in line got there at 3:30 AM!
CaptiousNut - [growing frustrated with this ludicrous conversation] But when did the doors open? HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE TO WAIT?
ScituateMom - Sign-up began at 8 AM.
Last year my son did a week at an overpriced summer *sports* camp; and his sister didn't go, if memory serves me, to any camp at all. They're babies for crying out loud - 3 and 4 years of age at that time.
We all, including the ScituateMom live near the beach. So as far as I'm concerned, that's where we hang out in the summertime. We have plenty of cookouts and we go the parks.
There are people all over the world in places like Iraq, Africa, Haiti, or even closer to home in the *projects* that endure REAL HARDSHIP in life. Contrary to local maternal opinion, being at home with your precious children with *nothing to do* in a gorgeous seaside community most certainly does not fall into that category!
No comments:
Post a Comment