Schools Out

It seems like forever since I've blogged. School ended June 5th. This is good in the grand scheme of the things. Penelope was anxious about it ended, not knowing what summer brings with the change of routine etc. She was acting out and it seems she left the school year less her closest friend. I say closest, not best friend, because even this close relationship wasn't the best. It was still sorta new and not quite informal yet. But her friend Maddie had accused Penelope of stealing something of hers and this alleged act ended their friendship. Penelope swears she didn't steal it, but found it after it went missing and gave it to Maddie. So, at least the school year was over. The last of a long list of social faux pas of the year, to put it lightly.
It took about a week for her to decompress from school being over. I went ahead and signed her up for camp, knowing that there was no way we were going to survive all this one on one time. Still concerned about Penelope in camp but figured that I can always pull her out if things are not going that well. But due to my lateness of enrolling her, not all the weeks were available anyway. So, she isn't going to starting that camp until the end of the month. This week, she is in "Dream Camp" which her 4th grade teacher is putting on out of her home. It's a camp for girls only and deals with self-esteem building. It's based on the "40 Developmental Assets Youth Need to Succeed." The camp is to help girls "create a roadmap for success." It's for one week and 3 hours a day. I am excited for her to go to it. Because we know her 4th grade teacher so well, we see her twice a week for tutor, she was able to put two girls in this particular week's session that Penelope has been close friends with in the past. Maddie being one of them. Hopefully it will be a bonding experience and Penelope can have renewed friendships with two girls she had been friends with in the past.
Next week she starts camp at the YMCA. I'm excited for her with this as well, because the YMCA has put the "C" back in YMCA and I think it will help Penelope spiritually. I worked at the YMCA when I was in my late teens early 20s. It was the best job I ever had. Anyway, they have a Opening and Closing Ceremony, as well as prayer before lunch. Plus the camp focuses on building character. When I worked at the YMCA, they didn't have those kinds of focuses necessarily. But that was the one and only thing that I wasn't involved it at the Y that I worked at. Anyhow, Penelope treasures any time she can honor God. Camp at the Rec Center was more of a structured babysitting program. I think the Y is taking that idea to a different level.
The only problem is, I have sent an email and left messages for the Camp Director wanting to talk to her about Penelope's RAD. But I can't get a response. I am suppose to pay for her first week's sometime this week but I am not going to do that until I get a response. So that will be one more thing I need to tackle this week.