I was very very clear with the staff this summer- Leaders-in-Training are high school students who are paying to come to camp. That means they are campers, even though they are close in age. You are NOT to hang out with them outside of camp.
Some staff struggled with this concept and will not be rehired. Yes, I am that strict.
My Leadership Development Coordinator (who is a rockstar and I hired without interviewing anyone else because I designed the position with her in mind) called me today and we had this conversation:
A: Hi. You know how we aren't allowed to hang out with LITs outside of camp? Well, H and R (two of the LITs from last summer) are getting married on May 9. I really want to go, but I don't want to get in trouble. Can I go to their wedding?
me: _________________________
A: Are you there?
me: (stunned) Married? How old are they? Aren't they graduating high school in May? Did you mean their graduation party? Married? What?
After I picked my jaw up from the floor and told her that, yes, she could go, this is obviously a little different situation, I went on facebook to check it out. Yes, graduating in May. Yes, married in May. And yes, expecting a baby (this is where I slammed my palm against my forehead)...
No no no. This is why we have teenagers in leadership development programs, so they don't get themselves into these situations. I am crushed. This isn't supposed to be happening to my kids. They are leaders. Last summer they were busy making lanyard bracelets and swimming. This summer they are going to be newlyweds and preparing for a baby. No. That's just not how it's supposed to go. They had their whole lives ahead of them, this is going to be so stressful and difficult and it's absolutely tragic. What about college? What about figuring out who they are? I'm so sad for them. Could we have done something different when they were at camp? I know that's naive- they were only at camp 2 weeks out of their lives, and they've been dating since they were freshmen, they're in love and blah blah... But still... A baby? They are babies...
1 comment:
Probably good to get that off your chest.......I was married at 19 and was married for 29 years and raised two wonderful children. Yes, I am divorced now but I just like to think of that as Phase II. It may not turn out to be a tragic event although they have a rough road ahead. I'm just saying...........
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