Fun in the shower

The Boy Scouts also went camping at the same time of year, but their tents were pitched 'over the hill'. The most popular boys were those who had remembered to pack binoculars. Their parents thought these were for amateur ornithology, but they had other 'birds' in mind. Being out in the bush, we had makeshift showers with scanty plastic curtains round them. These were assembled under the trees, which was perfect for the boys. The girls used to squeal with delight when they looked upwards, but never enough to alert anyone in authority. I used to prefer showering alone, as Iwas very self-conscious of being so fat, but whenever I looked up into my tree, all I saw was leaves, leaves and more leaves. These cartainly didn't make me squeal!

Your feet smell

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!