Sam, part 1

Bill and I had big plans for Labor Day. We really love being up in the Laurium/Calumet area of the Upper Peninsula (it is between Houghton and Copper Harbor in the Keweenau). We were there for our anniversary in June, and decided to return there for Labor Day with Brianna and Nate. We also decided we wanted to take along TJ and Sam so they could experience the U.P. with us. We didn't tell them about our plans, because we didn't want them to be overly excited and bug us about it for ages.

My parents had plans to go camping near Muskegon and agreed to take Nolan with them, since he isn't old enough to stay at the bed and breakfast we like.

We made these plans back in late June. During that time, Sam started his obsession with campers and going camping. I was still confident he would enjoy our trip, though, since he and TJ seemed so intrigued with the Mackinac Bridge and seeing everything they had heard Bill and I discuss for so long with our trips to the U.P.

Last Thursday morning, we finally told the boys our plans. Nolan was leaving Thursday night with my parents, so the boys needed to know why I was packing. Nolan was pleased to hear the weekend plans, as was TJ. But not Sam. He cried. He sobbed. He was inconsolable. He couldn't even eat breakfast, he was so upset. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Bill and I, it was that he wanted to go camping. This was not a child who was acting out or throwing a tantrum, this was a truly devastated child. Bill and I were quite shocked by his reaction.

After about a half hour, Sam pulled himself together and was very calm. He had decided that he was going camping. It didn't matter what my plans were, or what Grandma's plans were, he was GOING to go camping, and that was all there was to it. Again, he wasn't being rude, snotty, whiny, or anything like that. He simply HAD to go camping. He politely told me that he didn't need a ride to the campground; he could walk there.

By this point, I was waving the white flag, even though I hadn't said anything to him. I called my parents. They know Sam. They knew it was more important that Sam go camping than for us to stick to our original plans.

So, Sam went camping. And he had a fabulous time. He told me all about it when he got home last night. I had a few people criticize me for letting my five-year-old make the decision in this case, but I know my son. He is unique. His motives were sweet and pure. How could I force him to stick to my original plans, just because they were MY plans?