Of course, but maybe

Of course it is statue, but maybe it is the start of an adventure!

     It has been WAY to long since I posted here. Actually having a kid and then life as a camp director took over again. But I am back. So here we go again.
     I love stand-up comedy. So of course we are having a child. Not that the two are connected, but maybe they are in some way. Working with children for so many years I have seen some really funny things, and I have seen or read about some pretty horrific things including having to call child services. There are two sides of the life of a camp professional. Probably more, but at least two. The serious, HR following, parent pleasing, safety minded person. And the other side that would love to see camp run as a Monty Python movie with a side of Mythbusters. There are times when it is a challenge for me to keep one from smothering the other. The internal battles can be fairly hilarious.

     Over the years I have had this dual midset on many occasions. Sometimes they ended up being expressed in the real world. Sometimes they quietly stayed in my head. They sometimes have shown themselves in conversations with other camp or outdoor education professionals. Or off handed comments made in meetings. Some of these ideas are brilliant! Some are not. Here are some examples.

     Of course we should teach ropes course safety and a respect for the equipment. And maybe a two person zip line could hold 4 people going down superman style. Of course small fires are better. And maybe a HUGE fire can have a place from time to time. Of course 1 arrow is great in a bow. But maybe 2 or 3 is possible. Of course you should always be safe on the archery range. And maybe if you are wearing SCA armor and the arrows have Nerf balls on the ends it is ok to stand down range and have someone shoot at you. Of course it is safer to rappel down a 63 story building with a back-up belay. By maybe it is really fun and much faster to go down on 1 rope. Of course getting into a fight is a way to prove your manhood. Or maybe preventing a physical altercation by actually using the "big nose" bar scene in Roxanne is more manly. There are others. Some of you know them, some of you will never know.
     There are consequences to actions. And that is a lesson worth learning, And of course I expect my son to explore the edges of this. I have seen campers and staff do it for years. And I hope I can provide a framework for him to do that in a safe way as he grows up. Life has a balance. Head and Heart. Good and Bad. Laughter and Sadness. Striking that balance is part of the adventure. I hope he has that experience and adventure. And I hope I can guide him at least a little bit. 

     I guess my point of this whole post is to look at both sides of the coin. Of course you should keep in mind safety, the law, good taste, the feelings of others, etc. And maybe saying "I wonder what happens when..." is appropriate.  

     Here is the link of the stand up bit by Louis CK that inspired this post. I find it funny.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFwBH2fb2E0