The best gift to give to any child

One week into being at summer camp in the 80s when I was 11, I realized three things. First, I LOVE CAMP. Second, I wished I had been going since I was young enough to start around 7. And third, I couldn't wait to share this legacy with my future children.

So when my oldest daughter was finally able, despite my husband and her being nervous (neither having had this amazing experience), I started looking for camps for her. Unfortunately, the camp I went to was not going to be a fit. But she attends a French immersion school and speaks fluently, which opened up a whole new world of camps. Through a friend, we stumbled on Camp Tekakwitha.

I was excited for her. I called to investigate CKTA, in particular if they could handle her Celiac disease, a disease of avoidance where one grain of flour can make her super sick. The answer: absolutely! Due to other gluten-free campers, they have a separate area in the kitchen for food prep. And they were right, she's never had an issue at camp.

CKTA went on to tell me about their deep-rooted history and what a summer would look like for her. What I really saw was the joy and passion everyone shared for the camp, the campers, and the importance of this experience. There wasn't a doubt that we had found her future summer home.

She left for camp that first summer knowing two boys attending, but none of her friends she regularly hung out with. We received one letter home. I would scour social media for pictures of her to find out if she was having a good time. But being a camper myself, I know, let them be. (Now, no need to scour, I still don't get letters, but Camille and her team are amazing about getting pictures out to parents regularly.)

When I picked her up, she asked me if she could stay longer. She was hooked! CKTA was it. She had grown, she blossomed in her independence and confidence, she was happier, and she was glowing. She tried new things, developed friendships that I'm sure she will have for life, and was ready to embrace who she wants to be. And side note, her (and her sister's) French improved. We are not a bilingual home, relying on school where they still speak English on the playground. Not the case at camp. At camp, they were fully immersed.

As the years have gone by, my youngest and many school friends have joined her at camp. During the winters, she FaceTimes and emails her camp friends, counting down the days until they can get back to their promised land. And for all of her friends that don't feel like they are ready for camp, she talks to them about how amazing it is. In fact, camp is both their favorite topic of conversation at any given time.

Meanwhile, when other parents question why we invest in camp instead of vacations, luxury items, etc., I tell them that hands down this is the best gift to give to any child. Selfishly, the ability to have alone time and connect with my partner and get house projects done is a vacation in and of itself. And secondly, the girls, for one month, live in a world that is tech-free, that isn't judged on who you know or what you look like, and that allows them to just be kids. In a world filled with grown-up obstacles from a young age, giving them the chance to learn life's tools with friends in a stress-free environment allows them to gain confidence that they carry with them through life.