Delaware

June 24, 2011

Busy Bee Camp – Day 11

I will preface this account by saying that the Busy Bees are of the more privileged sort.  Their parents are politicians and TV personalities, and the Bees are habituated to a more urban lifestyle.  Anyway, today during story time we were reading a book about farming. Here is what the Busy Bees had to say about rural entities. 

As the next page of the story time book was turned, the Busy Bees became glued to a picture of none other than a tractor. One Busy Bee, Mamoka, whom I like to refer to as the Japanese Princess, felt so strongly about the image that she stood up from her Indian-style sitting to say, “I saw a tractor in Delaware.” Luke, another Busy Bee, responded, “There are cows in Delaware too.” And what was my response?

“Wow, I guess there is everything in Delaware.”

Two Year Old Tanks - Part 2

June 23, 2011

Busy Bee Camp – Day 10

Ok, so yesterday I wrote about my experience with The Mack Man.  Well, today, I had another episode with the Busy Bee.  While escorting the Busy Bees from their parents’ cars to the camp, I noticed that the next vehicle belonged to the infamous Mack Attack. As soon as Mackey’s mother took him out of the car, he took one look at me and started to cry. Well, not really cry. It was that fussy, fake cry that little kids do. But Mackey remembered who I was. I was the one who wouldn’t let him get away with his antics during the previous day. But I was so embarrassed. It was obvious that Mackey did NOT want to go with me. With me. Luckily, one of the other counselors noticed right away what was going on and came to my aid.  She knew that Mackey and I went around and around the prior day. She switched me campers and with ease was able to take Mackey’s hand and walk him into our building.  From then on, I would never again be on Mackey duty.  But I can’t say that I didn’t mind.           

Two Year Old Tanks

June 22, 2011

Busy Bee Camp – Day 9

It’s funny how the two youngest kids at camp are also the two largest.  No kidding.  Sean and Mackey are bruisers.  It’s nothing for Sean to rip a toy out of the hands of another camper.  He dwarfs the rest of the two year olds; his size is comparable to the five year olds.  And Mackey, well, he never stops running as soon he walks through the door at 9:00am.  He’s like a bulldozer.  I will also add that Sean and Mackey require the most attention, for they do not like to follow directions, and they are terribly needy.  Everyday two of our counselors have to be assigned to each of the boys because they just can’t be left alone. Today it was left up to me to wrangle Mackey during story time. Usually I am not on Sean and Mackey duty, but someone had to do it.  I couldn’t believe how strong he was. I tried my best to hold Mackey down in my lap and restrain the flailing brute. Remember my little German friend Sebastian? Well, Sebastian, who was supposed to be turned around and listening to story time, was watching me and Mackey wrestle.  Sebastian then pointed to Mackey and said, “Bad Mackey.” It was too much. Here I am trying to control Mackey and my laughter at the same time. Impossible. Thankfully, though, Mackey started to tire and resorted to listening to story time.  All of the other counselors had experienced story time chaos with Mackey, but this was my first time trying to handle the two year old tank.