Shameless Bid for Your Pity

I understood this to be the situation:  if one more parent from our Cub Scout pack didn’t step forward to volunteer, three of our boys couldn’t attend the week-long (super fun, much anticipated) Cub Scout Day Camp*.  I also understood that it was VERY difficult for our pack leader to get volunteers.

*(Day Camp, for newbies – like me – is one week during the summer, M-F, typically 5hrs at a time.  We have a morning session 9-2, and a twilight session 3-8…I’m serving during the morning session.  I’m not sure how many boys usually attend, but I think we have something like 175 kids at our morning session alone.  The boys cycle through different stations and learn about things like art, weather, archery, sports, geology, etc.  I’ve seen Day Camp held in church buildings, or at an actual outdoor park/camp facility.)

I looked at my brand new 8yo Cub Scout son and realized that I – of course – would need to step forward and volunteer.  I didn’t want him, or any of the boys, to not go to Day Camp.

Today we finished Day Two of the week-long Day Camp, and it’s kicking my heiney.  How am I going to make it three more days?!

I attended the last training session for Day Camp volunteers, and the absolute only spot left for the sessions was volleyball.  Of course.  Aside from archery (which is really cool, so no wonder it already had volunteers!), it’s the only session where you’ve got to be on your feet, moving around, drilling the boys, for 40 LONG MINUTES in the Houston heat.  And you do that for 6 “sessions,” with about 20 boys at a time.  I. am. exhausted.

Yesterday we were outside with a small canopy for cover, but of course we needed to be out on the field to run passing drills.  Today they moved us inside a huge, covered (no A/C) pavilion, which would “seem” much better, until you see that the concrete flooring in the pavilion is covered with about 3 inches of what looks like dirt.  But that dirt is REALLY the dried up leftovers of horse and cow manure (the camp is at a local farm & ranch facility).  So…yes, now we’re inside, but (a) with a fiberglass roof and flourescent lights, even the breeze that is moving through can’t keep you very cool, and (b) your boys and volleyballs are rolling around in dried manure.

I came home wanting to bathe in some kind of sanitizer.

I should say that there is some fun to be had doing all of this.  Some of the boys are really cool.  Some of the boys have told me that volleyball has been their favorite part of the day (they like my enthusiasm).  I enjoy watching them practice the new concepts they are learning.

There’s also a lot of frustration, though.  For a good portion of my time, I’m correcting and disciplining the boys, who are anywhere from 1st-4th graders.  Then I’m trying to motivate their group leaders (the adults who cycle through with the boys every day, all week) to actually HELP me help their boys.  Two ladies came through with their groups today and just sat right down in the camp chairs my partner and I had brought, then pulled their cell phones out.  How they thought just the two of us were going to teach these twenty boys, I’m not sure.  It’s their job to work with the boys ALL day, in ALL situations.  I get a little annoyed.

One of the leaders has also apparently coached volleyball before.  Which makes being me – a non-athletic person teaching volleyball from what I’ve learned off the internet – not much fun.  It would help if she wanted to be nice and contribute with some respect, but right now she’s just looking at me like I’m an idiot.  Doesn’t help much with the morale.

I was supposed to have a second volunteer who I could share and trade responsibilities with.  Unfortunately, she had something happen with one of her children, and she couldn’t attend the camp.  They called in an alternate, who has been very friendly and fun to be with, but she hasn’t been trained or given any information on the volleyball session, so…she’s had me take charge.  I’m just talking and shouting and moving and on my feet all day long.

I know the whining isn’t pretty, and I’ll get over it soon.  I’m just coming home exhausted every day to a house full of chaos (my husband has either been gone or very busy, and of course he’ll be in Chicago the rest of the week!), and no one has time for my pity party.  I’m actually happy to be helping at Day Camp.  It’s been a HUGE learning experience, and I know many of the boys really appreciate my help.  By the end of the week, I’ll be very glad I’ve done this.  I just hope I forget how hard it’s been by the time they’re looking for volunteers again next year.

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