A mother of two is responding to critics who objected to her sending her daughters to a seven-week summer camp.
Rachael Potash was quick to come to her own defense in an interview with Peopleafter a series of TikToks chronicling the seemingly normal farewell appeared to anger some online.
In response to comments criticising her decision and calling her rude, she told the publication that she was “shocked” by the response.
The videos in question show her enjoying time with her children before seeing them off and looking at photos of their exploits at camp.
The girls are 11 and 13 years old and seemed very excited about their seven-week stay.
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Rachael Potash was quick to come to her own defense in an interview with People on Tuesday, after a series of TikToks chronicling the seemingly uneventful farewell appeared to anger some online.
The girls are 11 and 13 years old and seemed very excited about their seven-week stay. They were seen leaving last month with Rachael and her partner.
Rachael, dissatisfied, recalled: ‘I started sharing how I spend my time with my daughters and what we do before they leave for the summer.
“It was a very beautiful thing of me making his favorite dinner for his last meal and inviting his stepsister to come over when it wasn’t even her week to say goodbye to them,” she said, referencing one of the farewell videos.
“It was about creating really special moments with my kids, and it ended up being, ‘You’re a bad parent for sending them away for seven weeks,'” the angry mother said.
She went on to reveal how the girls’ father passed away four years ago and she was also a fan of summer camps, a common concept in the United States.
“He grew up going to summer camp,” she said of her late husband.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was gone for the whole summer, but he was like, ‘No, you don’t understand. It was the best time of my life.'”
Judging by the clips that are gaining popularity on the Internet, the girls seem to be in agreement and happily embarked on a nearly two-month stay last month.
Rachael also seemed to relish the occasion, treating them to treats, festivities and a full feast before the day they left their South Florida home.
In response to comments criticising her decision as rude, she told the publication she was “shocked” by the response.
She went on to reveal how the girls’ father passed away four years ago and she was also a fan of summer camps, a common concept in the United States.
While the girls are still far away in Maine, the mother described some of the comments she’s been receiving and why they motivated her to speak out.
“I made a video in response, making fun of the backlash I was getting and how crazy I thought it was. Who should be telling another parent what they should or shouldn’t do?” she said at one point in the interview.
“I think for some people the point was really lost,” he continued, remaining calm.
“I’m glad there’s a conversation going on because it’s important to talk about it and open some people’s minds about what’s actually healthy for a child.”
He went on to explain more about the now annual dynamic, describing how it has been the norm for the past five years.
“They go there with a group of other guys from Florida. We all meet at the airport at 6:30 in the morning,” he said.
‘They have older group leaders who accompany the girls as they fly from Miami to Boston. Then, they take a bus from Boston to Maine.
“It’s a long day for them, but we give them lots of things and they have a lot of fun. They know they’re going to their summer home. It’s an experience that brings them together.”
While the girls are still far away in Maine, the mother described some of the comments she has received and why they motivated her to speak out. She advised others not to be quick to judge and assured them that her family was happy.
She also said she thinks other children whose parents might not be as open to that concept would benefit from being in nature, away from the smartphones and tablets that have become so prevalent in American homes.
“The other day my daughter wrote me a letter saying, ‘I shower outside and feel at one with nature,'” Rachael recalls.
‘We live in this digital world where many of us literally live our lives online.
‘These girls are getting the chance to experience life in the moment, outdoors, s’mores-making and water-skiing, and making lifelong friendships.’
In conclusion, the influential mom expresses her hope that other parents will follow her example and realize that things that may be outside their comfort zone are not set in stone indefinitely.
“It’s not really about you,” he said Tuesday. “You’ve had your childhood. You’ve grown up. Now it’s your time.”
“You know your child best,” she continued, urging others to “ask (their children) about this (and) start a conversation,
“It’s okay if you have a child who has a lot of anxiety and never wants to be away from home,” she said. “I would never say you should force a child to do that.”
“But for the kids who enjoy it, there’s a saying: ‘You live ten months of the year for two months.’ That’s how the kids at camp live, ten times two. Let’s give them that opportunity.”