Summer camp: Week 1

9 started camp this week - he's bitter.

Before summer I had 9 actively involved in choosing camps - he hated them all but some were less offensive then others so we focused on those. This week he has fencing camp. My thinking was all boys love sword fighting, it's in the neighbourhood and it's physical... perfect!

9 HATES it.

An overview of his despair:

1. He's hot, sweaty and exhausted at the end of the day (9 does not like to physically exert himself in anyway - other than his fingers while playing xbox - or be hot)
2. His instructor is Russian and has a very Eastern European approach to teaching: no warmth and fuzziness with the kids, and is determined to transform him in the 5 days he's with her
3. Se tells him repeatedly that he is not listening and she is tired of repeating herself (he feels she must think he's brain damaged because he promises me he is listening to her, he's just not looking at her) 
4. His instructor has deemed some of his snacks unhealthy (which they totally are but has husband shaking his head as he pulls the ritz bits filled with weird cheese filling back out of the lunch bag).

I knew it wasn't good when I picked 9 up the first day and she came over to talk to me, specifically to say "9 is not athletic is he, he's more intellectual." Day 2 I got the "I will transform him by the end of the week!" message.

Not that I'm complaining, I quite like her and really enjoy the directness and her accent - and if she can transform 9 by exposing him to exercise ... fantastic!

But I did over hear 9 say to husband that the only reason I put him in that camp must be because I don't love him.

Let's hope next week goes a little better - it's lego camp.