"There's no wi-fi in the mountain but I promise you'll find a better connection." ~ Unknown
Good morning; afternoon; and evening friends and fans! Namasté. 🧘🏽♀️ As a single mom of one, I wish I had known about The Fresh Air Fund when my son was younger and not for nothing with all due respect, I love spending time with my son but there are moments it would feel amazing to have a bit of time for myself for the summer to spare since I'm not even getting any help from my son's father whatsoever. It is incredibly frustrating raising a child by yourself with zero assistance from the deadbeat. The Fresh Air Fund is free for city children living in the five boroughs of New York City and if I had known, I would have applied to send my son there from age 8 until 15. What they don't tell you on their website is the camp lasts ten days and I was under the impression it was for the entire summer. I believe it's certain camps that lasts ten days and I'm not sure if another camp is three weeks. Feel free to contact The Fresh Air Fund for more information at: Contact Us Today and if you wish to learn more about the different camps available at The Fresh Air Fund, please go to Learn About Our Camps for more information! I wouldn't mind sending to The Fresh Air Fund until he's outgrown the experience and I don't want him to feel like I don't love him, but I want him to experience life outside of New York City while he still can since he is still a student. It's free as well and it won't cost you anything aside from transportation to and from the location. If you wish to contact them in regards of sending your children to The Fresh Air Fund and as mentioned before, I honestly wish it was for the entire summer since I very rarely have any alone time without having to contact my son's father. It would be very helpful if my son's father is actively involved in my son's life and at the end of the day, it's his loss, not mine or my son because he is doing this to himself!
Once you fill out the information for The Fresh Air Fund, you'll have to attend an orientation and submit a medical form with your child's current medical information to The Fresh Air Fund. There is a video you will have to watch titled: Family Orientation - Camping and the video isn't very long. Lots of information on what to pack and what not to pack for The Fresh Air Fund. There are things I wish I had known in advance such as the kids being there for ten days. I've had good intentions of wanting my son to experience in life outside of New York City and have him not be on his phone as much. It felt nice for the ten days of quiet, although, it would have been nice if it were for the entire summer for my own sanity and peace since I'm not receiving any type of help from my son's father (barely financially or him making any effort of spending time with my son every other weekend without me having to even ask him but that type of effort should come naturally without having to ask for that equal amount of effort from him). It felt amazing for those nine and a half days. I doubt my son is willing to try The Fresh Air Fund next year and I want him experiencing different areas in life away from New York City. Especially if it's free and he doesn't have to worry about airfare cost, booking hotel deals, meals, and other travel expenses or having to feel guilty for taking time off from work. It's a nice peaceful ten days for parents and more so if you're a single parent such as myself because I am the primary caregiver while my son's father is out there living his best life while I'm over here struggling on the daily where I don't have the privilege of pursuing my goals, dreams, and aspiration of wanting to have a career. Anyway, this feels refreshing since I don't ask much from anyone without feeling guilty for just even asking! If I could, I need to come up with a plan for that week in the upcoming summers and this feels amazing having my son at The Fresh Air Fund camp. Although I wish it were for the entire summer and I want him to have a different kind of summer instead of being here in New York City. Here is an article from the New York Times Editorial | A Fresh Way of Living.
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