That's Fit

My son has attended the same summer camp for two years now. Throughout the summer there are specialty camps kids can opt to attend. Last summer he signed up for an intense biking camp. At the beginning of the week, there were more than 30 kids signed up. By day three, the numbers had dropped to about 12. By the end of the week, only 6 kids remained.

On the first day of camp, the kids and their counselors rode a total of 10 miles. But the rides were short and they stopped at several fun locations to play and rest in between rides. Still, my very fit and athletic son needed to take a bath that night to relax his muscles.

The second day, the kids rode about the same distance, but with only one, longer break in between. It was a hard day, evidenced by the fact that more than half of the kids dropped out after day two. My son mentioned that he thought maybe he'd like to quit, too. But day three was too intriguing for him to give up.

On day three, the kids rode six miles to a BMX track where they could choose to ride on the track and/or relax for an hour. Then they rode the six miles back to camp. My son had an absolute blast. Still, he was nervous about the upcoming distance ride on the last day of camp. While I would have let him drop out if he was absolutely unwilling to continue, I could tell that -- while tired -- he was having a great time. So I encouraged him and helped him believe that he could do it.

By day four, more kids had dropped out and their numbers were seriously dwindling. They rode a total of about 15 miles this day, but the ride was broken into several small chunks and they stopped at several fun locations, including a local spray park. Again, my son had a great time and he wasn't overly tired. But he was seriously scared about his ability to complete the final day's ride. He told me "I don't really want to quit, but I don't think I can do it." Again, I tried to bolster his confidence and convince him that he was fit enough and capable to handle the distance ride.

On the fifth day, I dropped a very fearful kid off at camp. I worried about him all day; wondering if I had made a mistake in encouraging him and if I should have just agreed with him and let him drop out. He was one of only six kids remaining in the biking camp on the last day. They rode 10 miles on a rail trail to a park where they played and had ice cream treats. Then, they rode 10 miles back to camp.

When I picked my son up at the end of that day, his nervousness was gone and had been replaced with a sense of victory. That ride, and being one of the few kids who lasted through that camp, filled him with such a sense of accomplishment. He realized that he battled something he was unsure of... and he came out on top. Throughout the following year, I've used that accomplishment as an example to remind him of what he's capable of -- physically and otherwise.

This year, my son didn't hesitate to sign up for the biking camp again. I never heard a speck of self-doubt from my son. He handled every ride with confidence and physical ability. And, though he was tired at night, he was never sore and he was raring to go again each morning. His only request this year was for a Camelbak hydration pack.

I couldn't help but compare this year's experience with last year's. Gone was the self-doubt and the worry. It was replaced with confidence and sheer enjoyment of the activity. While I'm not a believer in forcing kids to do things they don't want to do, a little encouragement can help them push their limits. And when kids achieve physical activity goals -- or surpass them -- they gain a lot more than fitness. They gain confidence, too.