November 2024
By The Querrys
It’s been said that the only constant is change.
Raising children, we are reminded of this every day. Though, while our children are away at camp, we sometimes forget how much they grow and change while they’re away from us. We expect to receive them home in a similar condition in which they left and, sometimes, that homecoming can be quite overwhelming. The growth and development we have witnessed has been incredible. Year after year we are more surprised than before at witnessing our daughter grow into herself.
Our daughter began at Onaway during the virtual summer of 2020, so she was unsure of how being away from home physically would go. She met the challenge head on as soon as camp was open the following summer and has never once hesitated to go. She has learned who she is, who she wants to be, and what values she expects from her friends back home.
While only in the 8th grade, she has already been inspired to think of her future, going to college and scheming plans to come home to Onaway in her summers. At camp, she is able to thrive, seeking out activities that fulfill her that maybe aren’t available at home or even frowned upon by peers. She is free to explore her interests unapologetically. In 2023 she learned to row for the first time and fell in love. She committed all her time to being on the boat and is now seeking programs here at home, something we never imagined. She has found her voice in singing and theater, propelling her into school band and musicals with pride.
Most importantly, she has learned to navigate the world without us. She has learned how to soften and listen to differing opinions, and how to lift others up while also nurturing her own needs. Our job as parents is to prepare our children to live out in the world without us. Onaway has provided a safe and loving second home for our girls to be brave, take chances, and bloom into their own individual selves while being a part of something bigger than them. For that, we are forever grateful.