After about 4 years of regular holidays at Habonim camps, I became a 'Madricha' ( group leader) back home in charge of the 'Shtilims' ( 8/9 year olds.) That Summer I volunteered to be a Madricha at camp too, foregoing my own freedom and pleasures to look after a tent of little boys. I was nearly qualified as a teacher by then and was well able to manage these little scallywags. Bedtime was always a laugh. They used to be given time to shower and change in their tent and then I would go in for last inspection before lights out. Of course they didn't go straight to sleep after that, giggling and pillow fights ensued often late into the night. I had to go in many more times to tell them to 'shut up', before I could get any rest. I never knew just how dirty litle boys could be. They never washed, never brushed their teeth, didn't change clothes, just dived into their sleeping bags and zipping them up before I arrived. The usual interrogation followed, till I eventually forced them to get up, go and wash, brush their teeth and change, before I would leave the tent. They always did this very good naturedly,that's why i prefer boys to girls (even in the classroom). Little did I know till I became a mother myself, that at this age boys are completely oblivious to their own smells, and will wallow in being dirty, unwashed and smelly for as long as they can get away with it. Gob bless all mums of 9 year old boys!
