Summer Camp Part 3

The boys getting on the bus in the morning.

Today was the third day of summer camp and the boys were once again 

happy to go and still happy when they returned! 
 Since they can't talk, I  have no idea what happened in between the departure and arrival,

 but I'm assuming it was good!

I wanted to share just a little more about the first day when I was 

there with the boys.  I've shared the good...the lovely facility,

the nice bus with kind old men for drivers and an aide, the

staff, which I like very much and that the boys were assigned

the class that we had requested...the one with talkative

people, fun, and more interaction.

And I shared the ugly...the violent boy and the 'almost' encounter

between me and him in the men's restroom!

The 'bad' that I had in mind doesn't seem so bad now, but it

might be something that becomes a problem or a positive!

The teacher is aware and they are keeping an eye on the

situation!  That first day, we had only been in the room about

15 minutes and we were sitting at a table chatting, looking around

at the others there in the class and just taking it all in.

As most of you know, my boys love trains.  Almost everything 

they do during a day has to do with them, whether that is 

looking at a book, watching a DVD, printing pictures of them

or looking at them on youtube or some where else on the internet.

They even have CD's of music and songs about trains!

As we sat there in the class, a familiar voice on recording started

playing in the background along with the sound of a train

at full steam.  For a second it didn't even register with me since

it's just a part of life at our house and I can just about tune them

out since they are a constant. lol...  But then it dawned on me

that I was really hearing this at the day camp!

I asked the teacher if there was a video of trains playing.

And she said, "Oh, yes..that's Caesar over there in the corner!

He loves trains and plays those videos all day and looks at his train

books!"  Well, all three boys jumped up to go see Caesar!

He was sitting at a desk in the corner of the room.

He looked to be about 50 years old...grey hair at least.

She got a little worried and went over to make sure everything

was ok.  She said that he really wouldn't want to share or

be bothered and might raise his hand to hit someone if they tried

to get too close!  But my boys just stood beside him and looked

at the video and he didn't really seem to mind.  I explained that

they loved trains and that's when she pulled out the documentary

that I mentioned before and put it up on the big screen.

The computer belongs to Caesar personally and that is what he

does all day...sits there and does his train stuff.  She said that

I could bring one in for my boys, or even a small DVD player and

have them do the same, but I declined.  Sure, my boys would love

that, but they can do that at home!  The purpose of camp is to

be social, have some new experiences and interact with a new

environment and all of that. 

 Caesar never did seem upset

and at one point of the morning I glanced over and it was only

Harry there beside him.  And they were holding hands! haha.

Now at my house, the boys only do that if they don't want you to do 

something like turn off a DVD or rewind it.  They will hold your hand

  in a death grip so you can't mess with the video!  So, I'm not sure if

Harry was telling Caesar not to change the DVD or if it was Caesar

telling Harry not to touch his computer! haha.

Then for a good hour, Spencer sat just off to the side and wouldn't 

do anything else.  I told his teacher that I was sure he was waiting

for a turn on that computer!   But of course, that isn't going to come,

so Spencer will have to learn that.  Spencer does love his trains

and computers!  And he does love to be in charge!  So time will tell

on what happens with Caesar and his train corner.

I fully expected my boys to try to scoot him off his chair and

take over the computer and that it would be a problem every day!

But I think maybe the trains playing on the big screen will

be a really nice substitute!  And I think that they helped the

first day seem fun and comfortable for the boys.

What a nice surprise!  And who knows...maybe Caesar

will think it's fun to have others in the class pay attention to

him and share a love of trains.  I hope a miracle happens

and a friendship is formed.  :)

And that ends my long winded camp posts.

Yay!  I told my friend Nan, who ran into me at the grocery today

that I've had enough drama in the last month!  I'm ready

to post something boring like photos of flowers! hahaha.

Thanks for listening...and thanks for all your words of wisdom

and prayers.  They are much appreciated!

xo