Elisa's Journal

My 17 year-old daughter, Michelle, just came back from a 15 day journey in the wilderness in British Columbia. She sea kayaked 7 hours to Galliano Island, stayed overnite and kayaked back 7 hours. Then she backpacked through the Garabaldi Mountains for 5 days--seven hours a day. She put up her own tent, made her own food (which she says was pretty nasty) and basically did what she had to in order to survive. Then, she went rock climbing on the face of a huge cliff--got up to 80 feet. She went river rafting (white water) and then skiied at Whistler.

Personally, I think all teens should have some opportunity to escape the techy, corporatized junk culture that surrounds them to undo some of the brainwashing. Plus, they need a chance to test their emotional and physical limits. They assess their strengths and weaknesses and how those work in teh dynamics of the group their in. They develop team cooperation and leadership skills. Kids go through these things and come back much more mature. They have time to reflect on their life and changes, if any, that must be made.

My question: Would you send you kid through something like this?