I’m sitting in a small room, watching my anxious 5-yr-old mixing up the batter for Chechebsa, a traditional Ethiopian pancake eaten for breakfast.

Yesterday, Dad took it screaming child to participate in his age group’s (the Rabbits) activities, and he got stuck all morning, firmly glued by the hand to our son. This morning, it’s my turn.

J just doesn’t cope well with change. At the beginning of this summer, he was begging to go back to his preschool, instead of going to Camp Shoresh. By the end of the two sessions he attended, he was saying he wasn’t going to go back to school – he was going to go to Shoresh forever!

But, sadly, summer camp, by definition, doesn’t last forever.

And, this weekend, J had to cope with change. He’s participating, barely. I am assuring him that I will stay, but he can’t hold my hand. He has to be at least operating as an independent agent.

He’ll probably be ready to start participating fully tomorrow – the day we leave. Maybe when we come back next year, he’ll be able to transition quicker. Or not.

And his dad and I have to be o.k. with his pace.