Jun 29, 2010
Ten-Word Tuesday. What Bossy Did On Her Summer Vacation
The expression on Bossy’s daughter’s face, this is what Bossy keeps thinking about. When the photo was taken, Bossy’s daughter was only a couple of hours from entering the belly of a plane bound for Europe, alone. And in the photo above, Bossy’s daughter’s face encapsulates an appropriate mix of hopefulness and trepidation.
That’s really great you sent your daughter to Europe alone, people say to Bossy, only they substitute the word crazy for great, and the word baby for daughter.
Oh that’s nothing, Bossy replies, and goes on to tell the bedtime story of how Bossy shipped her son to Japan, alone, when he was only ten — except he had a connecting flight in Detroit and there was a delay because the airline was sweeping thousands of dead seagulls from the runway due to a hailstorm in the middle of October.
Of course the reality is Bossy’s daughter is staying and traveling with dear British friends who briefly lived next door to the Bossy family — and they happen to sport a daughter who is Bossy’s daughter’s age:
So Bossy’s daughter will have the time of her life and is in responsible hands — but that doesn’t stop Bossy from sitting around obsessively calculating:
Bossy knows what you’re thinking: Nine plus five does not equal two, silly Bossy! To which Bossy replies, Sure it does, when one is calculating the five-hour time difference between Bossy and her little daughter.
Because despite the amazing experience your child will have — or your own much-needed time spent kid-less — there’s something that feels very unnatural about a great distance between you and your offspring.
Bossy knows she’s not alone. For instance Bossy’s friend Martha is sending The Artist Formerly Known as Pool Urchin to overnight camp this summer for two weeks.
Bossy can sum up her plan to distract herself while her daughter is traveling abroad in this way: Turn on the television and hook up the wine I.V.
Which is what today’s Ten-Word Challenge is all about. In exactly ten words, can you tell Bossy about your experience with summer separation, either from your own parents or from your kids, and how you dealt with it?
And be sure to check back later today for the best summer separation stories on the Web.
If you missed last week’s challenge, click here to find out how Bossy’s readers would write their own personal ads, in ten words, of course.
In youth, Bossy never separated from parents. They’re too fun!
Son to beach w/neighbors. Only now learning of deadly waves.
Daughter, overnight theater camp. What, five days is over ALREADY?
I’m in England too, she’s with friends and near well-wishers.
Bossy’s kids to half-day camp, not enough time for mom.
Summer house. Sun, art, books. Teens only visit. No husband.
Bossy, STOP ANSWERING YOUR OWN QUESTION.
Me at girl scout camp, wilds of Massachusetts, with horses.
–>Went to Dominican Republic without 6-month old son. Never Again.
Girl Scout Camp, age 12, only overnight, wailed like INFANT.
After college, job training, Boston, long-distance-stalked future husband.
Camp Tockwogh, summers of ‘86 and ‘87. Many tears cried.
Pool near non-kid area, dh golfing, retirement flash-forward?
Why’s it easier to go away than have them leave?
Daughter away mission trip – house soooo quiet without constant song.
Never missed my Mom and Dad…EVER , when away.
going bye bye, that is.
NYC, please don’t blowup with my son in your city.
How can I miss them if they don’t go away?
Daughter in Ireland. Poor house painters… got my full attention.
Baby at scout camp, first time. Can’t think without crying.
p.s. I love reading Bossy’s answers to her own questions!
10 – girl scout camp 1 week – wanted to stay longer.
Daughter’s letter from camp: “people are mean to me”. Sob!
Away from ‘rents. 8 weeks. Loved it. Tried out Judaism.
GS camp, homesick, allergic, miserable, sobbing I want my mama!
(can I go now?)
Please someone take my kids for a week. Please. Please.
every year i couldn’t wait to leave the parents (and pesky older brother) at home to escape to summer camp for 3 glorious fun filled (non-parental) weeks.
He went to Grampy’s for two days. I ate cookies.
Gah is right! I’m putting my precious 16 year old on a plane in a couple of weeks to Washington DC. Whaaaaaaa!!!!
Son traveling on Delta as an unaccomanied minor. Enough said!
Unaccompanied, I mean.
Oldest leaves today. 8 days. Stay tuned. Pass the wine.
Only child..(DD-age 10) 1st sleepaway camp. No news good news..right????
No longer tents…now cabins with AC…this is camp?
Abusive parents made me feel far safer away. Ah freedom!
He spent the night at Grandma’s last week. We hung curtains. Really.
Hubby & son spent Sat. night at auntie’s. Watched what I wanted.
Hard to choose:
1) Parents in Europe. Brother gets mono and hepatitis, needs hospitalization.
2) Mostly empty Florida resort fine until invaded by weekending cubans.
Feel need to clarify: love my kids. need a break.
short people won’t even leave me alone to go pee.
want me to go where and for how long mommy???
Camp Cassaway 1960 Happiness, Joy, Girl Scouting DEVINE!
two weeks: Europe w/hubby, kiddos with grandma, mixed emotions
We’re going to Europe alone this summer. I go everywhere with my three year old daughter (work, bathroom, everywhere). I’m very excited and I’m sure I will have fun and miss my boys, but the thought of not being with my baby for those two weeks makes me get weepy and want to pack her in my carry-on.
Son Costa Rica
Son Canada
Why me here? Pass wine.
Bossy reads son’s comments to learn how NYC summer going.
Told daughter, pack tampons.
Daughter forgot.
Period on bus.
Facepalm.
Summer? Just sent 3mo to daycare for first time. Tears!
Didn’t have balls to send 10yo to GS camp alone.
California Mountains. Open bunks. Hordes of mosquitos. Great fun. (*Hey* I did it in 9!)
Boy at Grandma Camp, kept thinking I was forgetting something.
Alcoholic father at home. I would leave when ever possible.
16 – GS counselor for summer. Got homesick but rocked job!
Munich summer 1972 Olympics awsome, homesick last 2 days.
I couldnt wait to go anywhere without my wacky parents!
Now:
Adult daughter whos a mother, lives in another state, Stillworriedlikeshes4.
Any member of my little tribe gone—I get jumpy.
Discovered pacifier in bag on Maui beach. Baby across ocean.
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
(That, being a sound effect, does not count as a word)
The flame at my heels left my poor parents coughing.
Putting children on a plane would involve gallons of wine.
Of course wine IVs and lots of TV work too.
girls gone for 9 days ex….me first triathlon sprint
Boy turned 27, met girl, moved to ID, got married.
First summer camp starts Tuesday. I’m in denial.
Summers at Granny’s farm with cousins. Hated going home (school !)
French, 12, five weeks in Texas. I learned English.
Left USA kids- Ireland, hubs and I- Prague. Kids unflappable.
Mother back to college…7 weeks…me 10 and scared.
when the boy’s away, i try to recapture pre-mom me.
(my mom takes Jake for a week each year, and my dad does the same. So I have at least two weeks of recapturing going on. It’s really hard, and rarely works, but it’s fun trying. Also, home projects.)
Can do it in five: Never happened until they died.
Parents in Paris during HS. BEST 3 WEEKS OF MY LIFE!!!
I am probably moving to Belgium. My mom is freaked.
Kids clinging to apron strings…all three…youngest is 22!
Kids are gone! Whoopee! It’s like a honeymoon at home!
Hated Scout Camp. Wiped tears on letters pleading for rescue.
.
(By the time they came to get me, I loved it too much to leave!)
Youngest,12, ballet training 6 weeks Washington DC.
(#17 same thoughts/WashingtonDC)
Last weekend, husband & daughter joined son in NYC. Blissful!!!
1961 – GS Camp Chickagami – nauseous from homesickness or latrine. Returned.
Daughter to language school in Florence. She wouldn’t take me.
Checked U.S. Bank account to track my girl’s European tour.
Family was too poor to ship me off for summer!
Loved summer camp but wore same underwear the whole time.
17 y.o.s. went to Turkey alone. Contracted nasty virus. Athens hospital. SCARY AS HELL!!
Summer is best spent alone with a book on couch.
My son moved out Saturday, I pretend he’s on vacation
Catholic camp. Praying, and beach make out sessions after dark.
If ever separated from daughter, may it feature cabana boys.
Daughter to Sweden, Germany. Four summers. Nanny to small nephew.