Tonight, Small and Feisty, also known as Little Bunny, graduated from the Y-Indian Princesses Program after five years. Her father, Running Rabbit, sometimes mistakenly called Running Rabbi, formerly Little Running Bear, sometimes mistakenly called Little Running Mouth, was very proud.
If you have a child, ages 5 to 9, and a local YMCA, go get involved with the Y Father-Child programs. I did Indian Guides with my father, and I did Indian Princesses with my daughter. The time you spend with your child is precious, and you create wonderful memories.
Not everything is great. You get to deal with the meltdowns (I remember S&F having a meltdown the first trip at Camp Fox, where she didn’t want to go near the fish she had caught). You get to deal with the fathers more into themselves then their children (the ones who bring the kegs to the campouts, the idiots), or the fathers who seem more childish than their children. But you also get the chance to share firsts with your child: camping in a tent, going to Catalina Island, catching a fish, bowling, playing in the snow.
The father-child bond is a precious one.
[Plus, the campout today was held at Big Sycamore Canyon, which is two canyons over from Little Sycamore Canyon, where my childhood camp is (and where Small and Feisty will be going in two weeks). Sitting in the campfire brought back the memory of Havdalah, that special time of separation between Shabbat and the week.]
