Cutting the apron strings post #1

On July 22, I leave for camp. That's right, me. I haven't been since I was 12. I get to be the Camp Pastor at Camp Tekoa for a week. What a privilege it will be to serve those students.

The big deal about it is that Brooklyn also gets to go. She hasn't relished the idea of sleep away camp (I couldn't wait to get away from my parents). Even though her friend, Courtney, is also going, I will be there and she will be surrounded by people who care about her, she is still worried.

How do we create relationships with our children so they want to hang around us but give them the wings to want to have experiences that are totally safe in other environments where their parents aren't present?

I'm really glad I have this wonderful relationship with my daughter. I got to teach her how to shave her legs (I have a huge scar where I did my own when I was about her age), I get to cuddle on the couch with her and watch Survivor. Brooklyn's dad takes her 4 wheelin' and deer lookin' in the woods. We have a great relationship with our daughter, but I want her to have the other experiences. The experiences where she is safe, but has to make her own decisions and I'm not there to walk her through it.

Are we sheltering our children too much? We used to run all over the neighborhood after dark playing flashlight tag and not have to worry about someone grabbing us. We played ball in the street and walked to the corner store to pick up milk to drink for dinner. I walked home from school. We live in the same neighborhood, but I can't let Brooklyn out to play flashlight tag because we don't know all our neighbors, our street is too busy now for her to play ball in the street and there are no sidewalks to walk to school - or am I just sheltering her?

Camp will be a great way for her to be on her own (I'm intentionally going to stay away from her and let her have this adventure without me, but knowing I am close by). Hopefully next year she will want to go for a week without me - or do I really want her to?

Man, I need to cut some apron strings.