I never wanted the idea of going to camp to be a negative for my kids.

We have tried a few different day camps with the older two with some success over the years but we’ve never sent the girls to any overnight camps.

I guess because I am home with them, it didn’t seem necessary and camp was never a place I got excited about when I was a kid.

Yesterday, I was tired of watching the girls moaning about not having anything to do.

I was sick of hearing, “I can’t eat another sandwich for lunch. Can you not think of anything else we can have for lunch?” “Sandwiches again?”

In that moment, as much as I hated packing school lunches, I remembered the peace and tranquility of shoving a sandwich day after day after day into those lunch sacks and never having to be the one on the receiving end of, “Seriously? My Mom packed me another sandwich?”

And then I specifically called “No spillsies!” during lunch and there were two pretty impressive spills, dare I say, spillsies.

So I threw it out there.

“Would you guys be happier if I registered you for camp starting next week?”

The older two sensed this was a trap as it wasn’t coming at a fun, family moment over their favourite movie and a shared bowl of buttered popcorn. This was coming on the heels of several complaints and even more spillsies.

Chloe said, “Yes! That would be great Mommy. Can I go to rock ‘n roll or ballet camp?”

Me: Sure.

Chloe: Awesome! Daddy! I’m going to rock ‘n roll camp! When am I going, now?

While Chloe packed for imaginary rock ‘n roll camp, Hanna and Ellie put on their shoes and went outside.

And then something magical happened.

Ellie was wearing some sort of choking device around her neck and Hanna was barking orders at her.

Ellie was the family dog and Hanna was the impossible-to-please owner.

Finally, they’re playing and being creative.