As a child, I was captivated by the classic version of The Parent Trap featuring Hayley Mills. In my opinion, it outshines the Lindsay Lohan remake, but I might be a bit partial. I dreamed of having a twin sister—ideally one living on a ranch in California—and the idea of spending an entire summer at camp felt both thrilling and intimidating. However, aside from a brief and somewhat disastrous week at a Girl Scout horseback riding camp that involved an invasion of ants, I never attended sleepaway camp. I also never found that elusive twin sister.
Fast forward to when my own kids reached elementary school. One of my aspirations was to send them to camp for at least a week or two, ideally somewhere surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, where they could partake in pranks and sing campfire songs—but definitely no surprise siblings. The thought of sending my little ones off to the wilderness was nerve-wracking, but my adventurous oldest son was eager to go before I could overthink it. Before I knew it, I was packing shower shoes, writing our last name on countless socks, and sending him off into the great unknown.
Now, as I prepare for the fifth year of sending my boys to a summer camp nestled in the stunning mountains of western North Carolina, I know they will enjoy every moment. Yet, I’m also bracing myself for the inevitable onset of what I’ve dubbed Parents’ Refresh Button Syndrome, specifically for sleepaway summer camp.
The Refresh Button Phenomenon
If you’ve ever sent a child to sleepaway camp, you’re familiar with this phenomenon. At first, we play it cool, excitedly settling our kids into their cabins and waving goodbye to those enthusiastic camp counselors. We try not to squeal with joy as we drive away, free from the chaos of parenting—at least for a short while. What will we do with this newfound freedom?
Here’s the kicker: We’ll find ourselves glued to our laptops and smartphones, desperately hoping for updates from the camp. We refresh the page repeatedly, convinced that we’ll miss the instant the camp uploads photos of our little ones. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.
And when those photos finally drop, good luck if our kids aren’t in them. Is that a glimpse of his sleeve in the corner of picture 200? I think it’s the tie-dyed shirt I ordered from a sale because it screamed “summer camp.” Nope, it’s someone else’s kid. Where is my child?
I’ll admit it—I may have, on more than one occasion, sent a frantic email to the camp, asking if my child was still present since he hadn’t appeared in any photos for two days. My finger was sore from constant refreshing, and my imagination ran wild. Was he lost on a hike or missing out during the campfire? Where could he be? Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.
He was there, fully engrossed in games like Predator/Prey and Capture the Flag, juggling, learning to start campfires, and picking veggies for dinner. He was joyfully jumping under waterfalls while shouting, “Polar Bear, Polar Bear!” and embracing everything I hoped for during his two weeks of screen-free outdoor adventures. He simply had a knack for avoiding the camp photographer. Did he not realize I was waiting eagerly to see his smiling face? This week was all about me, after all. Did I forget to mention that?!
In the coming weeks, I’ll be packing duffels for each of my three boys, labeling everything they own while considering which clothes I’m willing to sacrifice to the inevitable mud and stink of camp. I’ll take them for physicals and drive up the bumpy dirt road to their camp’s vibrant green fields and rustic cabins. I’ll shower them with kisses, remind them to wear sunscreen, change clothes periodically, and plead with them to use deodorant for goodness’ sake. I’ll assure them they’re in good hands.
And then, I’ll shamelessly promise them treasures galore if they could just jump in front of the camera once a day. Just once. My finger is already twitching at the thought of refreshing the photo gallery.
And for the record, I still want to experience summer camp, Hayley Mills-style.
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In summary, the excitement and anxiety of sending kids to sleepaway camp can bring out the obsessive refresh button tendencies in parents. While we know they are thriving and having a blast, we can’t help but worry and check those photos repeatedly.
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