little man sanchez: camping

Our camping trip with Jack's preshool was kind of magical for us and for Jack. For starters there is the view we woke up to, went to bed to and ate our meals to...courtesy of El Capitan State Beach just northwest of Santa Barbara. There is the fact that we were just a short walk and stairway away from a lovely beach where we played all day. Oh, and there was of course the food -- completely organized and planned by the director, Tim, and executed by him and volunteers from each family. Not only was the food amazing but we actually had sashimi appetizers (and some of the most delicious sashimi I have ever had) both afternoons with wine and cheese and crackers just at the time that we returned from a long day at the beach (or at the time we were trying to save our tent from a windy demise on our first day there).

But the truly magic part was being outside all day with a whole gang of kids and a whole gang of adults. A village of sorts. Perhaps the way it used to be done -- this raising kids thing--many moons ago. The kids played soccer or with kites on their own or with adults in the open field surrounded by our tents. Or they rode their bikes on the path that encircled our campsite. Or they convened in one another's tents. Or they searched for the many groundhogs in the many holes around the field. Or played some other game with sticks or pine cones or leaves. Sometimes I knew exactly where JAck was but often we sort of tag-teamed it as parents..looking after one another's kids, just checking in occasionally while taking a break from helping prepare a meal...getting to know other parents at our school in a way that makes us feel much more a part of something now.

Coming from a mother who chose to stay home with her son in these early years but also truly struggled with depression and finding balance in life because of that choice, I think this whole village idea is where its at. For Jack, he got to be with a gang of kids he loves all day everyday. For me, I got to be with him but often at more of a distance and I got to share the responsibility of him and other little ones with adults whose company I got to enjoy throughout the day. And we did not have to call anyone or get in the car and drive across Los Angeles traffic to have a moment of this revelry. All we had to do was roll out of our tent and there it was for us -- for three wonderful days. I did get quite wind and sunburned but it was indeed quite worth it.