Nothing brings back fun memories of youth faster than taking small children to the play park during the summer. While enjoying the shade under a covered pavilion, you can watch as they run, slide, swing, laugh and giggle through all the features the park has to offer, enjoying the freedom and fun childhood brings.
Last weekend, I had such an enjoyable experience when taking our two granddaughters, Little One and Sweet Caroline, to our small town’s new play park. A fun day was had by all and, along the way, some important lessons were learned by Yours Truly.
First, when children say they really don’t want to go to the play park, they really do. Lesson learned: with children still in diapers add about an hour per child to the trip. That should give you the added time needed just to get out of the house and into the car.
Second, have a few toys in the car so the children will be entertained on the way to the park. Lesson learned: if you have two or more children have the exact same toy for each child or the trip will quickly become loud and unbearable. This means toys must be the same size and color. Who knew kids could have such a huge fight over two miniature cars, one red and the other blue?
Third, the words “stop,” and “no” are obviously words children totally forget the meaning of as soon as they enter through the gates of a play park. Lesson learned: after repeating the words no and stop 20 times in just the first hour, all the moms resting, enjoying the covered pavilion, will start to look at you funny.
Fourth, a fully loaded diaper bag outfitted with appropriate sized diapers for each child, wipes, paste, Q-Tips for those pesky boogers, liquid hand sanitizer, a change of clothes and emergency supply of Cheerios and fruit snacks is your best asset throughout the day. Lesson learned: when needed, a fully loaded diaper bag doesn’t help you all that much if it has been left on the kitchen table some 30 minutes away.
Five, a younger sibling can indeed crawl up even the steepest slide, but only so far. Lesson learned: on their way down the same slide, older siblings will take out younger siblings every time. Even though “no” and “stop” are shouted repeatedly from a covered pavilion.
Six, kids will refuse to drink water from a bottle during one of the hottest days of the year. Lesson learned: if you want to hydrate your children, simply introduce them to one of the funniest items in the park to play — Mister Water Fountain.
Seven, after two hours in the hot sun, taking a break under a covered pavilion is a great place to enjoy lunch. Lessons learned: Even though repeatedly offered, no other mom enjoying lunch under the shade of the pavilion will help change a blow-out poo diaper. Also, the cute matching Dalmatian shirts and skirts you dressed the girls in will no longer look so cute when covered in stains from watermelon and grape juice boxes.
Eight, after two hours in the hot sun playing, begging to leave and go back home will fall on deaf ears and just doesn’t do any good. Lesson learned: after standing under a covered pavilion for two hours during one of the hottest days of the year, constantly begging your kids who are enjoying the play park to go back home is futile. Though it will garner additional looks of disapproval from all the moms who are sitting under the covered pavilion enjoying the sanity of being out of the house.
Nine, after three hours playing at the play park during one of the hottest days of the year, even the most energetic child will finally run out of steam and beg to go back home. Until you bring out the bubble wand and then, magically, they are instantly recharged and can play for another 30 minutes. Lesson learned: don’t just bring one bubble wand. Bring enough for each child and make sure they are the exact same size and color. See toy truck example above.
Finally, four and a half hours of playing in 90-degree weather with 90 percent humidity will totally wear out any child playing, all the moms (and one retired fire fighter) sitting under a covered pavilion.
Lesson learned, and this is the most important one of the day: when you first arrive at the play park it is definitely not a good idea to change a teething poo diaper and leave it for four hours unattended in your car.
[Rick Ryckeley has been writing stories since 2001. To read more of Rick’s stories, visit his blog: storiesbyrick.wordpress.com.]
