How far does the cord stretch?

Everyone knows that whilst the midwives/doctors cut the physical umbilical cord when your baby is born, they do not cut the other cord. This is the cord that binds you and your child together forever and ever and ever!

My children have stayed away for a night or 2, my husband and I have stayed away from them for a night or 2, I have never had any problems with this, (mainly because they have stayed with family and friends).

Last night my little man went off to cub camp. I helped him to pack (read packed his bag saying, watch, you need to do this yourself at camp), took the obligatory photo, checked and double checked he had everything and kissed him goodbye (at home not in front of his friends!) He was dropped off at 7pm and we will go and collect him at midday on Sunday. He will be having a great time hiking, setting fire to things, building things, not washing, not sleeping, enjoying relative freedom etc. He is unlikely to miss any part of home and I wouldn't want him to.

I am struggling, I miss him like mad! He is only away for a couple of days, I will see him on Sunday and yet I miss him. More than I have missed him before. I think it is because I can't just ring to check he is ok and he is with people I don't know personally.

I am sure I will get used to this feeling as there will be other camps and school trips to come. I am also equally sure that by bedtime on Sunday I will be washing the mountain of smelly socks and dirty clothes (or maybe not if he stays in the same ones all camp, which I wouldn't put past him!) and wishing he was away for just a little while longer as he will come back tired and is likely to wind up his sisters to the point of war.