Blindfolded

My children are at rock climbing camp this week.   My daughter was interested in rock climbing first; it’s movement, which she loves, and she likes anything physical she can do safely.  My daughter has been to week long camps during track-out while her brother was in school.   My son was interested in going after hearing all about it from his sister so we sent them both for one on one of the holiday weekends.   That was so much fun they asked to do more camps this summer.

There has been no complaints from them about camp this week aside from not wanting to leave at the end of the day.   It’s been the only thing that’s worn my daughter out, with her falling asleep two nights this week around dinner time.  

There are challenges they have during the week: certain difficulties in climbing paths, for instance.   And then there’s the blindfolded challenge.   I was picking the children up earlier this week when one child came over and asked to have a bandana wrapped around her eyes.  I asked about it and found out if you climbed to the top blindfolded you met one of the challenges.  

I got to talking to the girl and when she realized I was Reese’s mother she said to me, “I heard Reese is colorblind.”   I told her that was true, but it was more than that, she was actually blind.”   She was interested and asked me a few questions.   I answered them and then said, “it’s hard for her to tell where things are so it’s always nice when people help her.  You can take her by the hand and show her where to go safely.”   She said, “I want to help her; she’s a really good climber.”

This morning as we were getting in the car to go to camp I asked my daughter if she’d done the blindfolded challenge yet.   She replied, “no.  Do you know why?  Because I’m blind!”   She laughed.   And then she said, “I made a joke about it yesterday.”

This is the first time I’ve ever heard her refer to herself as blind.   She wasn’t bothered by it and was even proud of herself for making the joke.   We try to not make her seem different or special, but there are places and times where there is a difference—and I wonder all the time if it bothers her.   In this case it seems like it didn’t.

The Big Boy Update:  My son has made a lot of friends this week at rock climbing camp.   I came in and told him I’d belay him on a few climbs if he wanted me to.   But no, he was busy with his camp friends.   He’s had some socialization issues in the past so it was nice to watch him interacting with the other boys so easily.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter informed us the other day she wanted to be a vegetarian—except for meatballs.