A code of behavior based on kindness, consideration, and unselfishness
Something that should not and will not ever change
Anson went to manners sleep away camp a few weeks ago. Yes, I said "manners camp." A friend of mine was looking for someone to go with her son, and when I asked Anson, he said sure. Even later when he knew what he was getting into, he still said yes (although I admit I wasn't completely truthful with him at first).
It was held at a bed and breakfast in rural NC during a week in which the temps were over 100 every day. He shared a room, with two other boys, containing a queen-sized canopy bed covered in roses, some sort of awkward daybed, and an antique dresser and wardrobe. They dressed in coat and tie for dinner every evening, and did outdoor sports such as canoeing, swimming, tennis, and croquet during the daytime. There was supposed to be fishing and sailing as well, but the instructors for each passed away and had a stroke, respectively, just before the summer. (The people who have run the camp for many years are in their 70s and 80s.)
All in all, Anson had fun while also learning how to speak on the telephone, set the table, eat at the table, serve food, host a party, write correspondence, introduce people, and speak in front of a group. They were served different food at dinner than they might have at home, and even went to a Chinese restaurant one night to practice eating out and trying new foods.
At the end of the week, the children "graduated" and hosted a tea for their parents. Each child had to recite a few things in front of the group and then hand a bouquet of flowers to his mother. Although it was extremely hokey, we parents couldn't help but smile proudly, and a few shed some tears. By the way, the quality of these iPhone videos is pretty poor considering it was about 150 degrees in that 200-year-old house and I was about to drop the phone every few seconds. But the kids don't seem to notice???
After the handing out of some awards, the children sang a few songs from The Sound of Music, which they had watched in the evenings that week. It was hilariously old fashioned!! Don't you like how the girls are holding their hands just like in the movie?
Now that was classy.
Despite the fun sporting activities, Anson had not been in home in some time after just spending several weeks at the lake house and in Indiana. He also knew we were going straight from camp to the beach. Something tells me that as the week went on, he was more and more anxious to go home and see his family.
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We missed him, too. I was so happy to see that smiling face when I arrived to pick him up, and I was even more proud to see him stand up in front of the group and greet everyone with grace.
He was responsible for serving tea and coffee during the lunch after the ceremony, and was not allowed to help himself to food until all grownups were served, and I guarantee he was the only child who followed that rule. He received a trophy for Best Host and ribbons for swimming and tennis.
The joke of the day was that the boys also received a ribbon for cleanest room during the week. Huh? When we parents went upstairs to get their bags, we realized why. Everything was under the beds...dirty underwear, trash, wet towels, balled up dress shirts, and so on. Nevertheless, aren't they handsome?
What an amazing young man my Anson is, before and now. I don't even care that his tie is tied weirdly and he is covered in dust (you can't see it, but his shirt is untucked halfway as well), his smile is always genuine and his attitude positive. He will always be my perfect little gentleman!
P.S. For more information about the camp, you can learn more at this web site.
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