My two sons (it’s already been almost 6 years and still feels a little weird to say it in the plural) and I were at the park again this afternoon for an hour and a half or so. My Big Boy was off sliding down slides, sending static currents through everything he touched when he reached the bottom as if he were Emperor Palpatine.
My Big Boy was off sliding down slides, acting as if he were Emperor Palpatine. #parenting Click To TweetI was off chasing his younger brother around the park, hoping to prevent any potential monkey bar accidents from occurring during this visit.
The last time we were here we had another very interesting encounter with a mommy and her young son. I was so proud of my son and the way he handled himself that day. This time around there was a new set of parents with their children laughing, playing and having fun. With all the energy flowing through a park filled with twenty-five 3 – 12 year olds, there’s bound to be a few squabbles, a little pushing and shoving and some conflict. It’s just going to happen.
My sons and I were having a good time on the swings – my big boy insists on pushing his little brother on the swing. I sit back and watch as they entertain each other for a good 30 minutes.
A little boy (probably 2 years old) comes blazing through the swings, screaming like a banshee as he zig-zags through the moving swings. Another boy is chasing him; undoubtedly a very competitive game of tag was on. A few seconds later I hear, “Johnny, come here!” His mom must have caught up to him. You could tell she was unhappy that her mommy mini-vacation was interrupted. She clenched her Starbucks cup tightly as she spoke.
I could over-hear what mommy was saying to her son and I was a bit perplexed by it, to be honest. I realize we all have our own style of parenting and I’ve learned to accept and even embrace those differences, however, she didn’t call him aside to explain the dangers of running between the moving swings.
The behavior that she disapproved of was because he was “acting like a wild man.” That message to her son got the old brain gears-a-grinding just a bit. I would think the park is the perfect place to run amok. Isn’t that the whole purpose of going – so they run amok and go to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal?
I mean, I remember being a kid once upon a time. I remember actually thinking that there’s no way I could walk because it was just SO. SLOW.
I ran everywhere. I never stopped running. And I think I’m a better adult now because of it.
