Tales from semi-isolation

I expected Camp Daddy to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. -- spending the summer with our three boys, free of the demands of work, the commuting to various camps, and the other demands that make daily life so chaotic.

Fast forward a year and things are vastly different. Like most, if not all, of you, we have been hunkered down in semi-isolation since March. We are able to work from home without a loss of income and for that are extremely grateful. Our yard is large enough to keep the boys occupied, despite their constant insistence that they are "bored."

One of our area toads is temporarily imprisoned in the water table. Another impact of COVID-19, our backyard wildlife is constantly under threat of imprisonment.

But still, our social distancing measures feel like a pendulum of emotions, from quality family time one minute, to a hostage situation the next. We've had to increase space on the iCloud because Noah has taken hundreds of screen shots of his pre-school Zoom calls "in case I want to see them later." Our internet usage has skyrocketed, as has our food budget. Grace worries that the boys are becoming feral.

At some point this summer, I may be told that it's safe to return to work in the office, but Grace will be home for the duration of the pandemic. So with her envy of my Camp Daddy summer squarely in focus, and with very few options in the way of summer camps in 2020, Mom is taking over Camp Daddy!

Jedi protesters expressing their first amendment rights.

Immediately, the stark differences between Camp Daddy and Camp Mommy became obvious to the boys. With talk of enrichment activities, a chore chart, learning a new language, and fresh new math workbooks, the boys' realized quickly that their vision of the summer and Mom's were....slightly different.

They expressed their displeasure immediately, explaining that Camp Daddy was disorganized and that's the way they like it. I tried not to be offended....they don't mean it was disorganized, just that it was less...organized.

So stay tuned for updates as Mom takes over Camp Daddy.