Tales from the Steppes

2005-03-24

11:36 a.m.
I was sitting, waiting, wishing you believed in superstitions

We have now entered that most dreaded season of all - summer camp logistical planning. Now I consider myself a master at this particular sport but this tests my abilities.

It is like an insane game of Vulcan chess. I have 3 kids who need to be in camp for 10 weeks. I would like them to be in the same location, but would settle for a logical route. And the camps need to be full day. None of this 9-3 business. Who works those hours?? My final request is that I not have to pay more than $1600 a month. Total.

And the camps have to be interesting to the Mongols. EM needs to go to ballet camp for at least 3 weeks, which means driving, driving, driving. MM likes to go to nature camps and wants to go to Cub Scout camp (which is not conveniently located and runs from 8:30 to 3:30.) Both the EM and MM want to go to sleep-away camp for a week each. And the YM is so freakin' picky about what he will do or won't do (as well as just being 5) that it is hard to plan for him.

This is further complicated by my not knowing what my job situation will be or what the SU will be doing. I have to plan, sign up and put deposits down as if we will both be working full time, but who knows what the reality will be. If I don't make arrangements, then I will be hosed if I get that job I applied for. If I wait much longer, the camps will be full. And since I am looking only at cheap camps, there is a greater chance of this happening.

I suppose I could just try and hire a babysitter, for a comparable amount of money. It was pretty unsatisfactory last summer. The babysitters did not really want to take the kids anywhere so they were bored all of the time. I would print out information on different parks and even Mapquest it for them. Even then, they were really not that interested. And when the Mongols are bored, chaos ensues.

I guess I could just take the summer off and do nothing. I'm not really sure where that would get me (Arkham asylum?) but I guess it is always an option.

Don't you just love making decisions in the absence of any real information?