Mommy and Ty time: An unforgettable weekend at Muskoka Woods

Ty and I were totally excited to have some time together (me more than him).  Just me and my biggest guy. He and I have definitely had some issues over the last few months and I’ve been trying so hard to put more time and effort into making our relationship stronger.  When I got the email from Maureen Turner from Mom Central, inviting Ty and me to Muskoka Woods for the (alcohol-free) weekend, I didn’t even hesitate!  It was just what we needed to reconnect, focus on each other and do something memorable together! 

Ty has inherited my cautiousness and fear of heights, so when I heard about the “giant swing” and “zip line”, I knew he’d start freaking out.  Instead of freaking out together, we made a pact- we would try something that was totally out of our “norm” and push ourselves beyond our limits….isn’t that what camp is all about?
                          
When we arrived at the bus and I saw the other moms and kids who were attending as well- I knew we were in for a fabulous weekend!  We were even lucky enough to be cabin-mates with Sharon (@SharonDV), Lisa (@LisaThornbury) and Alison (@Nummiesbras)! 
Our boys got along so well- right from the start!  They shared seats on the bus and that gave the moms a chance to chat about what they were looking forward to most.

We arrived at the incredible property- over 1000 acres of Muskoka land and Lake Rosseau waterfront- stunning right from the start!  We were greeted and introduced to the incredible staff, many of whom had been at the camp for years while pursuing a teaching or kinesiology degree.  I couldn’t believe that they have over 90 activities for the kids…spa classes, arts and crafts, culinary arts, archery, skateboarding, inline skating, canoeing, and paint-ball to only name a few!  If sports are your thing, they also have 12 tennis courts, two beach volleyball courts, a 15,000-square- foot indoor gym, a 50-foot climbing wall, an 80,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor action sports park, a dedicated gymnastics facility, the largest and highest ropes course in Canada, three playing fields and a golf training centre with driving range, putting green, and chipping green.

Settling into our cabins (or “cabinets” as Jayden later said), equipped with bunk beds and a shared washroom, our adventure began!  While Ty figured out how to turn his sleeping bag into a silly coccoon, the moms and I unpacked and got settled for our first activity….LUNCH!!!

We were all starving when we arrived at one of the 4 dining rooms.  A fantastic buffet, with a full salad bar and drink station was set up for us as well as chicken burgers and chips!  The camp emphasizes independence and empowerment, making sure that all of their staff are positive role models.  Usually, the kids are at camp without their moms, so we let our kids help themselves and quickly learn the ways of Muskoka Woods- including clearing and wiping the table and stacking the dirty dishes.  It didn’t take long for them to figure out that they had some new responsibilities as campers.  All the meals were really nutritious and filling…roast chicken and roast beef, veggies, salad bar, sandwich bar and lots of fruit!  Even some pudding for each dessert!

We did it all- canoeing (Ty’s favourite, just like his Poppa), archery (totally loved this), hiking, swimming, skateboarding and of course, both Ty and I tried the Big Swing!!! It took a little convincing but we both did it- lifted a little over half way and then dropped to swing back and forth! What an amazingly freeing feeling!! I was so thrilled to have done it and only wished I had gone to the top. Ty is always so cautious to try new things unless he is GREAT at them, but I was so proud to see him try activities that he had never tried. While other kids where more experienced and better than him, the staff were quick to encourage him to keep trying and helped him work on his skills. This meant so much to me. 

While talking to the staff, we learned so much about the camp and its history in Muskoka.  This camp has been giving back to underprivileged communities, sending packages to Romania and funding scholarships, since its early beginnings.  As a non-profit organization, they make it their mission to give back.  It didn’t take long for my cautious son to ask if he could go to Muskoka Woods this summer.  We didn’t have it in the budget for this year, but we did tell him that we could save for it for next summer (he will ask for camp money for this year’s bday).  I want to be able to give him this experience of a lifetime and I hope we can make it happen next year so that he can learn even more about what he is capable of doing! 

I love this “trial” program for my guy.  Test Drive is a program for NEW first time guests and is ideal for guests and parents who might be a little nervous about a residential camp experience. Ty could get a taste of summer fun at Muskoka Woods in this 3 night, 4 day program for only $549 + tax. The value in accomodations, mature staff, great food and the incredible quality of the over 90 activities makes this a great way to have an experience of a lifetime! 

This weekend was honestly a memory I will treasure for ever…