One time, at band camp...

During one of my regular inbox sweeps today I spotted an email from Ocado that started with the words "Book now for your kids to be taught by Valentine Warner." If it's not a 20% off voucher for shopping I park it until later so I only just read the actual content. It seems Valentine Warner is a bloke and he does cooking on the telly and is doing something called Root Camp. It's a hands on cookery course for teenagers aged 15-21 (so their marketing bods got it slightly wrong there as my boy has a full 12 years before he qualifies).

Apparently the idea is that you send your teens off to West Wales to plant, weed, harvest, forage and cook. Considering the age range I can see it being more like the ubiquitous "Band Camp" from American Pie with a bunch of hormonal teens let loose in the fresh country air. It's certainly a far cry from the Summer activities I was used to and is a lot more 'right on' too.

I'm sure by the time my boy is 15 I won't get any say in how he spends his Summer holidays. As it is I'm terrified at the prospect of him going on trips once he's at school and that's at least two years away. I saw a gaggle of school kids this afternoon who were walking a snakey line behind their teacher into Euston Square tube station and onto the platform. 

To my insane parent mind the teacher was far too relaxed about this and was letting them walk freely and everything. I mean anything could happen, one of them could wander off away from the group, they could fall onto the tracks or get mugged by some unscrupulous sort for their packed lunch. It's irrational - I know.

So while the kids of the well-meaning Ocado parents are off in West Wales making pesto and foraging mine will be setting up camp at the end of the garden and coming indoors for dinner and a warm bed if it rains. Hey judge all you want I don't do camping. 

I'm only a fan of being a free spirit in principle so I want my son to spread his wings, but within my line of sight.  

I'm sure he'll humour me for a while at least.