After realizing the way recreating camp was making me feel – empowered and present in motherhood – I decided I’ll use the framework of camp to design my son’s learning each year. So I’ll share here how that’s going throughout the year, what I’m learning, and lessons from camp I think could be relevant to others. I’ll share successful activities and adventures, memories from camp, and the books I’m reading to further my own knowledge as I guide this ship for my family. I’ll do this as it feels authentic to do so. 

I started a few months ago and I already have some takeaways I didn’t expect.

1. Recreating Camp is making motherhood fun. 

Parenting in this era is hard. We’re contending with several challenges past generations of parents didn’t face: a lack of community support; a dearth of maternal knowledge handed down; unrealistic expectations and extreme judgement; infowhelm; a culture of anxiety parenting; social media; legitimate worries from bullying and school shootings to finances and wellness; oh yeah, and a pandemic. Parenting is hard.

I loved motherhood instantly but I honestly wasn’t having much fun. I wanted to spend my time with my son but was struggling to stay present. I knew I had it in me to be the best mom for my son and myself but I couldn’t tap into my strengths. Then, it hit me, I could recreate camp and I am not being dramatic when I say it was like a switch was flipped.

The first day I brought my recreating camp mindset into my motherhood was the most fun I have ever had. Doing anything, anywhere, with anyone. And we were just hanging out at home that day. Recreating camp is so fun, it keeps me engaged, and it allows the best of me to shine.

2. It’s helping me build community.

This definition of what I’m trying to do has helped me to better be expressing my parenting values. I think it’s true in life we attract what we’re putting out. So by expressing my values more and more I’m attracting others who have similar parenting values. This is helping me build community and also feel seen and understood. We’re not quite there yet, but it feels like the beginning of a community of belonging.

3. It’s helping me put on blinders.

There are so many approaches to parenting. I don’t particularly think one is better than another. What I do think is, this approach is better for my son, me, and my husband. But in parenting it’s so hard to just rest in these choices we make and not take a peek over at someone who has chosen a different path and wonder, “did I make the right choice?” Plus it’s so easy to peek over at other people’s choices (see above about social media and judgement!).

Recreating camp is not only fun but it’s this deep well of confidence for me. I know how to be a camper, a camp counselor, and a camp director. I know how to do camp. It’s like home. The confidence and the excitement of walking this path helps me to care less and look less at what others are doing. Not because I’m superior but because I’m resting peacefully in what’s best for me.

4. It’s giving me ownership.

As a former scholar of empowerment, one of the most important things I think humans need to feel empowered is to have a locus of control, or a concrete understanding of what’s in their control and what isn’t. In other words, a sense of ownership over the choices and actions they’re taking. In today’s parenting world there are a lot of options and many of them beckon us to give away ownership. Whether they convince us we’re not qualified and competent enough or they’re offering us a sense of convenience, there’s so much of parenting we’re encouraged to give away. It seems like we should take it (see above again: parenting is hard!) but actually, from an empowerment perspective, the more ownership we give away the less accountability we have; in other words, this parenting climate is often disempowering in it’s offers to take the “burden” off of parents. The think I’m learning is, the more ownership I take the less it feels like the burden society tells me it should. The more joyful parenting is and I can celebrate more how my son is my gift not my burden. 

5. It’s flexing my muscles in focus and intention.

Expectations are the weight of parenting. I find when I focus on my intentions over my expectations, we all thrive more. And when I focus on what’s right in front of me with my son I feel less of the pressure about doing enough or being enough. By using my camp framework I have something specific to put my focus on while also setting really clear intentions for all of us. It’s feeling like the healthiest my parenting has been in his two and a half years of life.

These takeaways after just a few months!?! Yes. So stay tuned because there’s more to be mined from this experience and I’m excited to share it with you.

Originally posted 10/28/22 on old website