Fear and Washington DC

On his way to Washington DC on the Safety Patrol Trip

So today, I dropped my son off a school for a field trip to Washington DC.  We live in Florida, and this field trip lasts for 3 days and 2 nights.  I’m freaking out.  There is a small part of me that is freaking out because I’m going to miss him and he is far away from us.  But mostly, I’m freaking out because he is growing up.  He is more a little man than a little boy every day.

There are things that I know will happen while he is in DC that I can’t do anything about:

• He will forget something and leave it there or lose something (clothing, cables, etc).
• His personal hygiene will leave something to be desired. If he remembers to shower with soap and shampoo, put on deodorant, brush his teeth and comb his hair every day, I will be shocked.
• He will get bored with the sightseeing or driving around town in a bus.
• He will not get enough sleep. Four 10 year old boys in a room, enough said.
• He will spend his money on something foolish.
• He will forget to call us at the scheduled times at least once.
• He won’t eat a healthy diet.

He will also have an amazing time.  He will grow up a little bit more away from us.  He will be more mature and more responsible because he is going.  He will have to figure out things on his own and how to make choices, good or bad, while he is gone.  He will miss us and his brother, and recognize how much he loves his family.  This last one is a hope on my part.

It might be too much to ask that he come back with an appreciation of our country’s history, but the personal growth he will get out of this trip will be more than worth the price tag.

If you see me in the next few days, I’ll be missing my boy.