POV: You Ask a Tween How Camp Was… and They Actually Answer. Loudly. Repeatedly. In Full Detail.
If you’ve ever tried to get meaningful information out of a tween, you know it usually goes like this:
Me: “How was your day?”
Tween:
Fine.
Me: “What did you do?”
Tween:
Nothing.
Me: “Anything fun happen?”
Tween:
I guess. (shrug)
But when my son comes home from Roundtop Mountain Resort Adventure Camp?
Suddenly, I’m getting a dramatic reenactment of every activity, fish, splash, and possibly fictional moment in a high-speed, snack-fueled monologue. He’s basically delivering a one-man summer blockbuster, complete with character arcs, dramatic pauses, and a slow-motion retelling of the time he "accidentally" fell in the lake paddleboarding. (For the third time. That day.)
This is our fourth summer at Roundtop. At this point, it’s not just a summer camp. It’s his summer. This is the week he circles on the calendar with a big red marker and starts talking about before the snow even melts.
Real Quotes From a Kid Who Normally Grunts
Here’s what I now know about this week of camp, courtesy of a kid who normally responds to “how was school?” with a barely audible meh:
- He caught a fish “this big.” His hands now spread wider each time he tells it... a live-action figurative language lesson for this former teacher.
- He lost his phone while fishing. Which is exactly what happens when you definitely weren’t supposed to have your phone out while fishing.
- His favorite part of paddleboarding? “Falling in on purpose and pretending it was an accident.”
- He reconnected with camp friends he hasn’t seen in a year. Within five minutes, they were right back to making ridiculous inside jokes I will never understand.
- There’s a very real and possibly unspoken political hierarchy happening between camp groups. Being in Group 5 this week? Huge bragging rights. Not sure why. Don’t question it.
Oh, and 9 Square. I’ve now heard more about 9 Square than I have about my own college graduation. I’m still not 100% sure how it works. But based on the intensity, the rotating square lordship, and occasional minor injuries, I can only assume it’s part dodgeball, part diplomacy, part Lord of the Flies.
And Let’s Talk About Family Day
This is the day where parents get to join in. It’s my personal Super Bowl. You see your kid in their element... navigating the ropes course, leading a game, casually scaling a rock wall like it’s no big deal. Then they turn to you and say:
“Want me to teach you how to paddleboard?”
Reader, I said yes.
He coached me through it with the kind of patience you dream of as a parent. When I finally stood up without falling in? He looked at me with so much pride I almost fell in just from being overwhelmed. That’s the kind of moment that sticks.
Now we own three paddleboards and a kids kayak. Roundtop didn’t just give my son a skill. It gave our whole family a new way to be together.
Listen...
There are a lot of great camps in our area. I’ve reviewed them. I’ve registered for them. I’ve packed the gallon-sized Ziplocs of snacks for them.
But Roundtop?
Roundtop is non-negotiable.
It’s the week my son becomes the version of himself he loves best. Confident. Capable. Brave. Sun-kissed. Slightly louder than necessary. It’s the week that defines his summer.
And if they ever open this camp up to parents? I’ll be first in line... armed with snacks, SPF 70, and a burning desire to finally win at 9 Square.
