Camp Norwich might have scarred me for life

I am sitting on the el right now with no book to read, so I figured that I might as well fight off my impending writers' block with a random post that has been tumbling around in my head for a few weeks now.

I started going to sleepaway camp when I was Dylan's age. My first year, I was there for a period of 6 weeks. This sounds crazy to most, but I had four older cousins there at the time (one of whom was a counselor in my unit), so I did fine.

That said, when I look back now at some of the goings on, I can't help but be a bit curious that I was exposed to this stuff at just 7-years-old. Let's look at movies, for example.

Movie night was great fun at Camp Norwich. I remember piling into the dining hall with pillows and loot from our care packages. I probably brought a big 'ol metal tin of Nestle Quik into which I'd stick my finger over and over, licking off the chocolatey powder.

And then we'd watch the movies. The problem, though, was that these movies had to appeal to all ages. And, I guess the counselors decided that entertaining themselves was more important than our fragile young minds? Or maybe these things weren't big concerns in the early 80's? Here are some examples of the movies I saw at camp: - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Poltergeist - Jaws

Can you imagine dealing with a bunch of kids at the lake for swimming class the day after seeing Jaws??

Following in the footstps of her mom, Dylan will be attending YMCA camp this summer. But not sleepaway yet. Maybe next year she'll be ready for it in all it's R-rated splendor. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Comments

[ToKissTheCook]

Oh how our Camp experiences differed. I went to sleepaway camp in the Ozarks for two weeks at a time. It was run by a very conservative church whose faith neither of my parents subscribed to (more like withered at) but all my neighborhood friends were going and I just HAD to.
Women were not allowed to speak to the group or lead songs. Strict shorts policy of 1 inch above the knee or more (none of those awesome mini camp shorts for me). Hellfire, Brimstone and Arkansas. I did win a Bible Bee and have used those skills against anyone who tried wielding that particular book as a weapon.

[Lauren]

I went to sleep away camp starting at age 7 too, and I cannot imagine sending Jamie at this young age.

BTW, we watched Rocky 3 and Mr. Mom and Octopussy.

[jill]

I, too, went to sleep away camp -- a church camp, too, but not as strict as ToKissTheCook's....we went there to kiss boys around the campfire while singing the songs.

No movies, but at home my parents had no real problem with the movies -- Friday the 13th, Halloween, and Nightmare on Elm Street.

[kyoot]

I was just telling my mom that the girl guide councelor let us watch Poltergeist after watching Grease.I was 9 so not as young but now I look back and think no no way. We are just wondering now about sending TJ off to Sleep away camp near my home town. a week tops with the Presbyterians. LOL