Israeli Boot Camp

A few months ago, I saw a post on one of my homeschooling groups about an Israeli boot camp.  I was super excited when I saw it was on a weekend.  Yippee!  I read what would happen at this boot camp and decided to sign Jory up.

In theory it didn’t seem that far once we got off the 405, but then we kept going up and up and up and I wondered how did people live up here.  Yes, it’s a nice view of the city, but the two lanes and one slightly wrong turn and you veering off the street down, down, down, into the valley below you.  Uh, yeah, having a view of the city ain’t that important to me.  The road we traveled felt so long that I pulled over and asked a cyclist if we were going the right way, he thought so, he had never heard of the park we were going to. 

I thought we had left with enough time to spare, but not with me having to drive so slow and worried that I was going the wrong way.  Finally I found the street and I turned into the parking lot, but I didn’t see any park looking areas.  I asked a woman and she said the park was across the street down at the bottom of the valley.  Really?!

So we left the parking lot kept straight and sure enough there was the sign for the park.  We went down, down, down, down and finally I saw the park and hiking trails.  I was going to go hiking while Jory did his thing, but the heat was already getting to me and it was only 10AM, well now past 10AM.  We drove slowly down the streets looking for the house next to the meeting area.  Nothing.  I stopped a man walking his dog.  He told me I had to keep driving, but to go no faster than 15mph literally and stop for at least three seconds at each stop sign because tickets are given out like crazy throughout the park.  I thanked him for the information and slowly drove away.

Finally, I found the house, we parked and I looked around expecting to see a lot of kids and parents hanging around.  I didn’t see that, but against the tree I saw some kids and two adults.  Jory grabbed his backpack, put his sunglasses on and his hat, and we walked over to the kids.  Yep, we were in the right place.  There were only around seven kids; Jory appeared to be the youngest.  And then the drama began.

I took Jory over to the group, gave the leaders the paperwork, introduced him, and walked away, which lead to tears and “Mommy, don’t leave me.”  I was shocked by this.  Yes, Jory cries in new situations, but not when it involves playing games.  So I stayed and as soon as they finished an activity he would run over to me.  And I would send him back.  The two leaders tried to engage him and he played the games, but he just wanted to leave.

I thought about his behavior and realized he isn’t often in new situations.  He knows the kids at church.  He didn’t act like this though when we started AWANA though he did have Rowan with him.  We go to places where he knows people or he’s doing new things with people he knows. 

He begged to leave, and then he saw the water guns.  He went to get one, try it out.  The leaders asked him to put it down and told him that they would use them after they finished a few games and their hike.  Water guns and a hike?  The begging to leave stopped and I walked further back knowing there would be no more tears or cries to leave.

I talked to an older homeschooling mom and she told me about her high schooler started SMC and how that high school/college credit world worked.  Then when it got too hot, she and I parted way and I went to my car.  We were so low in the valley, I got no cell service so I took out a book and did something I love - - read.   

While I was glad he was doing this physical activity, I realized it couldn’t continue we couldn’t miss church for eight weeks.  The boot camp was 10 – 12.  We’d either have to go to the Vineyard church that met at 5:45PM on Sunday evenings, but with school that wasn’t going to work.  So I knew this would be our first and last trip to Israeli boot camp.

I looked up an hour later and saw Jory and the group calling off the numbers as they walked on the side of the street.  He looked like he was having a good time.  I put my head down and kept reading until it was time to pick him up.

As we were driving home, he told me he had a good time.  He enjoyed the hike and of course, the water gunfight.  They kept him so busy that before we really settled in on the 405, he was asleep.