Parents, let go of that leash

Here’s the story I heard on Facebook a couple of weeks back.

Apparently, this mother had been phoned by her child’s away camp to urge her to write. (Mail from home actually was on its way.) Seems all the other kids were getting multiple letters and faxes daily. Faxes? At away camp?

Just as the absurdity of the situation was sinking in, I learned something else: It was a one-week camp! So these kids were getting numerous faxes every day, all while at a place designed to teach them independence. How are they supposed to get the lesson when their parents are failing big time?

I hate resorting to “back in the day” mentality, but really, remember when it was the kids at camp who did the writing, a letter or two, mainly because the counselors made them?

This mom’s camp story isn’t an isolated one, either. There’s a lot of Internet chatter about the policy banning cellphones (and other electronics) at many away camps. It’s not the kids who are bothered by the cellphone rule; they’re too busy having fun, making new friends. It’s the parents. They just can’t let go.

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