We have just finished the penultimate day of our Taekwon-do camp. In plain English this translates as: we’re almost there! I love our camps, I love the kids, I love our brilliant team, I love it when I can sit on the sofa with a glass of leftover wine from the weekend and reflect on the camp so far.
70 children – no problem! Now, this may sound weird to parents who struggle with about 2, but trust me – generally we see their best sides. At pick up, me: your girls are so lovely, always smiling and they get on so well. Do they ever argue? Kids’ mother (with a look on her face): all the time! The hard truth is, that kids are brilliant when their parents feck off. The parents turn up at pick up time and you can track the kids’ little backs, complete with backpacks, to the door, turning into little shits again as they go. Parents actually look suspicious when I tell them how great their child has been all day: he’s always looking after the little ones and loves to sweep up after lunch. They look down at their child, as if they are looking at an alien and are not sure whether to say: well done sweetheart, or: you little bugger! You never do the bloody clearing up at home. You treat me like your sodding slave and beat up your little brother constantly.
During camp the children do various, absolutely brilliantly imaginative craft activities, thanks to two of our brilliantly imaginative team (not me). One of the activities this week was making mermaid’s basket, as we have an underwater theme, and filling them with four chocolates in the shape of shells (these camps aren’t just all about kicking and punching you know!) One of the children told a team leader: I like white chocolate, dark chocolate and chocolate! Hmmm, that’s pretty comprehensive!
One of our wonderfully creative helpers, hiding in the inflatable treasure chest
Yesterday, a camper came armed with a cake for the team. It was very gratefully devoured and during the day I mentioned this to all the children and said that any cakes they would like to bring in, would be gratefully received. At 4.30am this morning, I woke up in a cold sweat, with visions of 70 cakes walking into camp and wondering how we would deal with all the Tupperware. (I sadly didn’t need to worry!)
Number 1 friend showing worrying ‘cake obsessive’ behaviour during camp
So, tomorrow will bring to an end another wonderful camp: wonderful because the children are, truly wonderful little people: learning how to work as a team, how to be kind, how to be sociable and how to sweep up. Wonderful because our team of helpers, from teenagers upwards, are attentive and creative and selfless, and wonderful because every morning I am greeted by one or other of the team with a lovely smile and a: would you like a hot infusion? These days, I just have to get my kicks where I can – even if it is just someone else making me a cuppa!