Sending Kids To Camp and Kidecals Label Discount

Sending the kids to camp! eep! It’s hard for me to believe it, but I just sent every one of these beautiful people away for three weeks. Yes, that includes my dear hubby who is off to Ravens Training Camp for 16 hour days. I am at a loss. It has been four days and the dishwasher still hasn’t need running! The house is getting neater, not messier. My days have taken a mad leap in productivity. Yet, still, my heart aches every day. Little things remind me of them here and there. A song I hear on the radio that Baillie loves to sing. A word play I say in conversation that Allie would have noticed. A joke that would have let me hear that infectious Charlie giggle. Every hour I’m thinking . . . I hope Charlie is having fun. . . . I hope Allie is sleeping well. . . . I hope Baillie isn’t homesick. Still, I know they will get so much out of this experience–a leap in confidence, a throng of new friends, and pure joy in their own sprouting independence. I am a big believer in sending kids to camp.

They all get nervous, there’s no doubt. To make the transition to camp easier, I sent each one of them with something physical to hang on to from me– a stone, a little doll, a metal token. Having a grounding physical item to carry in a pocket or hold on to at night is super helpful. The entire family wrote notes to each other inside the rim of the pillowcases they’re bringing, so each of them have kind and loving words under their sleeping heads. Then, I’ve been emailing, writing and sending little packages too. I leap every time the post man comes with hope for even a few words in their messy handwriting.

Getting ready for camp was a enormous process in itself. Kidecals, which is a fabulous company out of my own beloved Boulder, gave us some decals to label the kids camp stuff. The kids loved this. First, they got to pick out just the design they wanted – huge plus (ha-ha, see, Allie would laugh given our choice below). Second, they got to slap their cool looking label and name over practically everything they own. Who doesn’t like marking their territory?

We decided to the complete the preparation process as a family. We cranked up the music (mainly to drown out the complaining), made all the lists together, collected huge piles in the living room, and labeled up a storm. It ended up being surprisingly enjoyable!

Here’s what I love about Kidecals. They are washable and super durable. We used them last year, so I can tell you without a doubt that they really stick. Charlie’s gear, who was the only one who went to camp last summer, still had the labels affixed, a year later!

You can put the labels on anything – sleeping bags, blankets, Ts, hairbrushes, shoes, water bottles, etc. Allie thought her labels were so cool, she wanted them on the outside of her socks!

But all the packing and preparing didn’t really get me ready for how much I am missing them. Sending the kids to camp has left a huge hole in my world. My entire being yearns for them daily. All the same, I need this time to finish my book which is due August 4th – eep! At least the labels will help get most their stuff home. And, if I’m honest with myself, I need to prepare for the crazy back to school rush in August. Kidecals has a great school selection too.

Now for the good stuff, here is a discount code for you all to use to get your own Kidecals! Use flaxtwine5 at checkout to receive $5 off your order ($10min). The code will be good through July 27th.

Happy labeling, and remember, camp is good for’em!