Yun ventured out and took a risk this time: she took her sons camping alone!  Normally, she’d invite a few friends along just to feel safe and have additional helping hands.  But,  it has been a year since they camped, and Yun is a bit braver than normal, and the kids are one year older!

So, they decided to camp alone in the  Jemez, which is only 1.5 hours away.  Upon arriving, the kids were eager to work!   They unloaded the tent and started working on setting it up  as Yun watched on!   The poles were  flying ups and downs, the tent was unruly and disobedient!   Mommy finally stepped in to get the tent and poles into  orderly positions.. Once the tent was finally up, the boys wanted to put the flyer on: “It is going to rain!”  one child announced seriously and he was determined to convince mommy that the flyer is absolutely necessary.  So, Yun watched again as the canopy began to fly all over the place.   It took them 30 minutes to set up the tent- the longest ever in Yun’s memory, but the most fun to say the least!

Gavin decided to make the bed.  He disappeared inside the tent for a long time, finally, there was a shout: “Mommy, come look!”.  Peaking though the ‘window’, there were three ‘beds’, a hanging lamp, three pieces of “personal suitcases” lined up on one side of the “bedroom”…  All Yun could express was a big smile from ear to ear.

When it was  time for the  camp fire, the air of excitement quickened as the pace of gathering wood picked up!   For this task, Yun knows she must be in charge.  So she did.  But the boys got to use  matches to light up pieces of paper and insert them into the places Yun indicated…  Soon enough (even though it took longer), they have their camp fire going.  Patrick started to make a  marshmallow roasting stick by clearing  a couple of the small Aspen branches.  He got to use his Swiss army knife for some real (and supervised) first time use.

When the night finally came to the family’s camp site, the moon was already half way through the sky.  As they turned off the lamp and got ready to sleep, Yun heard a very satisfied voice from Patrick saying, ” I have had the most fun because I have a lot more responsibility.”  Gavin echoed immediately,  “me too.”

Yun was taken aback by what she heard.  She never knew that her kids actually take their responsibilities so very seriously and willingly.  “Fun” has different definitions for an adult and for a child,.  The adult’s mundane or dreadful chore can be a child ultimate fun… Go figure.

“Bye for Now” from The Two Whos

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