The Queen's Rambles

Erik’s camp is at the community center, which shares a parking lot with our outdoor public pool. On Monday I promised him that we could go to the pool one day after camp and I realized that today was it. I don’t think we have another free afternoon in the next two weeks.

Bad idea!

Very, very bad!

I’m used to HOA pools that usually have picnic tables with shade next to the pools, but this place just had a grassy area with huge umbrellas. They were far enough away from the pool that I wasn’t comfortable leaving Elsa in her stroller away from me or leaving Erik in the pool away from me (he had a floatie thing on).

I used my new wrap to hold Elsa and went in the pool (never would have done that with the Moby, but this other wrap is thin enough that it didn’t feel weighed down). Problem? Babies can’t have sunscreen until they are 6 months and I forgot her sun hat. Also, she was sleepy. Finally she fell asleep with her feet dangling in the water, but it was really uncomfortable for me since I couldn’t bend down and let the water take her weight–she’d drown!

Eventually I did put her in her stroller and sat her semi-close to the pool, but the place was packed and I was paranoid something would happen to her or Erik. They were both fine, of course, but you can never be too careful. Splitting my attention two ways just doesn’t feel safe at the pool. We won’t try that again unless I have another adult with me.

It was a really cool pool. They were closed for re-modelling last year and they came up with some really neat things. They have one section of pool with ropes across and big floating “lilly pads and logs”. The kids (or grown-ups) are supposed to balance on the pads and logs while holding onto the ropes and try to cross the pool. I would have loved to give it a try if I was about 25 years younger.

There were three camps there and one of the camps almost stole Erik. After checking on Elsa I found him sitting in a line with all the campers. I asked what he was doing and he pointed to a teenager and told me she told him he had to get out of the water and get ready to go. I’m glad I noticed! I don’t think he actually would have left with them, but who knows. There seems to be a never-ending parade of teenagers working at his current camp so I guess he is used to listening to them.

He is still loving camp. They have all the kids’ names up on a whiteboard and give them stars when they are good. He is very impressed with that idea and wants me to give him stars. I noticed today that only one other camper has more stars than he has so I guess he’s being a good boy.

I know some of you use stars but I’ve been hesitant to do so because I’ve had bad luck with long term reward systems in my teachery past. It all starts out great and the kids love getting rewards and I love having an easy behavior system, but after a few days/weeks/months the kids start expecting rewards and want a star for everything they do, even things that are not star worthy. I find it very difficult to wean away from this system so have not wanted to start it up with Erik unless it was absolutely necessary. I have friends with kids who potty trained around the same time Erik did and they still get M&Ms every time they use the toilet. I don’t like it when the system gets me by the tail. I’ll have to think about this further and see if I can give him stars without it becoming more trouble than it’s worth.