Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jig

Picture from art.com

We're home again. The girls and I had a fabulous camp! We went to the IMAX theatre, had a sail on Port Phillip Bay in 'The Enterprize', a replica tall ship. Then we spent one a half days at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, exploring the difference in life between now and 200 years ago, as Australia was just getting started. We did some fun things like gold panning, candle dipping, played a 'Gold Fever' game and learned what life was like for children in the 1800's. Miss Sunshine's teacher learned a lot about the difference between teaching now and teaching then, I think! He was able to put some of those new skills to use a dinner time that night with one of the parent helpers!!!! The kids voted to have him come back and join us ~ apparently he has some friends, not to mention that he was our bus driver and we needed home to get home LOL.

The kids were absolutely fabulous. We spent a lot of time on the bus, given the 2-3 hours of traveling each way to camp. They told jokes over the buses PA system, they sang songs. Two boys made up a rap song about the camp and the kids encouraged them when the boys finally pushed through the nerves to perform it...again, on the bus! We had a Bus Idol competition. As a parent I was able to witness the ways that our teaching staff encourage and nurture the faith of each child throughout the camp. And I was able to really spend some quality time with some of the kids, chatting about how tough things are at home, with one boy. Praying with some of the girls who had gotten a bit scared, cuddling another one who just wanted to go home to Mum. Teasing a boy who had broken his promise not to tell anymore jokes. It was a great bonding time for us all. The kids got to see that us parents are regular people who enjoy having fun!

I'm going to need the tissues when it comes to Year 6 graduation now, I think LOL.