Thanks, Susie & AFTR! I was aware of needing extra drinks (and sodium) with lithium. difficult child takes 2 water bottles and a gatorade- or 1 ea, water, juice, gatorade, if they're going to be inside more than out.
This is a YMCA camp- we have several around so I had signed him up for a variety of 2 week sessions this summer. he's never tried this one before, but we wish we'd known what it was like. It's pretty much the same fee, maybe a little more, but the brochure said they got several field trips and it's all for middle-school aged kids. Little did I know that these field trips are almost daily and extend to various places in the state- 100 miles away at times!! It is a good thing that the admission fees to places are covered so the parents don't have to pay extra. (It's a REAL good thing because I would not have allowed difficult child to go after what he did Fri. night.)
They spent the day at the river today. Friday they are doing community service and next week it is the beach one day, golf or putt-putt one day, river again, and an opportunity to go camping. It's nice to know that this is what he's doing while I'm working! LOL! It's kind of funny- he's still on the ankle bracelet so everyone knows he's beeen in trouble legally. One of his counselors used to work at the detention center that he just got out of. It appears he's staying close to difficult child- and things seem to be working well!
For the next 2 week session, he'll be going to a day camp that he used to go to in elementary school, but he will be a Leader-in-Training, so he's looking forward to it. I told him he better be careful- there still might be adults there that remember him as a boy who could be very obnoxious and push his limits at times!
I agree- these are great for kids- especially our difficult child's. Mine has always had stuff like this, since I've always been a single working Mom. His problem (socially speaking) comes when he is socializing in a non-structured situation. He'll get along with the friend fine- he just seems to "overlook" the fact that he still needs to obey the rules, even when there aren't authority figures always in the same room.
I hope you can find something else for Jess and thank you. Have you checked all the Y's, parks & rec, etc?