The joy of a first-time camper

How father's worries about his daughter's sleepaway experience melted away

- DAVID RIDER

Tess stared stoically at the name tag she was crafting, ignoring our farewell, her eyes down and her little mouth tight.

As my wife and I walked to our car, I resisted the urge to run back, grab our daughter and tell her to come home and try sleepover camp next summer.

It was 2016 and we had just become a camp family, to my surprise, after my son's friend's parents asked if Ben would join a couple of other boys at Youth Leadership Camps Canada. A week at YLCC, on the shores of Lake Simcoe, was an easy sell for my nine-year-old daredevil who would be sharing a cabin and adventures with friends.

We asked Tess if she also wanted to become a camper. I was not expecting a thumbs-up. The tiny seven-year-old had never been away from us for more than a few days, and those brief breaks were with friends or cousins. Mum and dad were always close by or a call away.

Still, our cautious, sociable and determined girl gave an emphatic yes. I was heartened to hear that a friend of hers was also headed to YLCC - until we learned it was during a different week. Tess would know only Ben, and he would be in a different cabin with different activities, not focused on his little sis.