At the risk of sounding like a crappy mom, I have a confession to make: I can’t stand taking my kids to the playground. It’s not something I wake up and say, “oh, it’s a beautiful day, what a great day for the park.” Here’s why:
* Moms are just spectators at the playground & we can’t even enjoy it. The moment you relax, close your eyes to take in a deep breath of fresh air and let the sun dance on your face, you open your eyes and realize you can’t “find” one of your kids and your heart skips a few beats. So, you spend the rest of your time hawking your children’s whereabouts trying to keep them both in your view while they run in opposite directions.
* Someone has always got to pee, or poop, or both, once if not twice during your visit. If your playground has a potty, it likely looks like a walking version of the swine flu. If not, then you’ll be forced to work your diaper changing magic on the seat of your car. Always fun.
* Someone always gets hurt. Be it a small scrape on the knee from running around like a mad man, or a whack in the head from walking in front of the swings. Tears are always shed.
* Other moms are constantly judging your parenting skills waiting for you to mess up in some way, shape or form so that they can claim the coveted “Best/Coolest Mom at the Playground” award.
* There is the inevitable “I wanna go home” whine-fest that your toddler will make at some point. You will then have to convince them to stay by getting all goofy and riding the pony spring rider in order to ward off the meltdown your 5 year old will definitely have if you unexpectedly announce that it’s time to go.
* Then, of course, it is time to go. And, even though you just spent an hour watching their every move, pushing them on the swings, clapping at them going down the slide a hundred times, giving them a snack, etc. they still have meltdowns and your “fun” day at the park quickly ends with a “get-in-this-car-right-now-or-else” moment.
Despite how I really feel, the pictures below are why I give in and take my kids to the park often – Motherhood is really all about them anyway!
This post is being submitted for MamaKat’s Writers Workshop and for Wordful Wednesday over at 7 Clown Circus!
{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
I am so glad I am not the only one who hate the park! And it is for all the reasons you listed!!
Found your blog on MBC. I really enjoyed it! (And I'm in awe of your technological savviness). I'm following you now and if you get a chance, please check out http://www.mommylite.blogspot.com and follow me too. (My agent is going out with my book next week and I could REALLY use some #'s!) Best, Sarah
So, so true!
LMFO! I totally agree! Love this post
Hey — you should enter this over at 7 Clown Circus' Wordful Wednesday!! Great Post!
I'm done with the playground thing too (ssshhhh, don't tell my kids).
Love this post! So, so true! I hate it too!!
Seriously. The playground is SO boring. What about ME??? Don't these kids every stop to consider what *I* want to do!?!?! Which is to simply put them to bed?? Why can't we do THAT!?!
Great post. I have two little boys 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 and they always run in opposite directions. It's exhausting but I do it anyway, like you, because it makes them happy.
Amen sister! The best part about the park is that they take good naps afterward!
Absolutely! And I absolutely take my kids places for the sole purpose of taking pictures and the ability to scrapbook them later so it looks like they had the greatest childhood ever. I'm right there with ya babe!
Happy Saturday Sharefest!
Alex
I can soooooo identify with this! Stopping by from SITS!! Happy SITS Day!
aaw. cute kids you have!
This made me laugh! I’m not quite there yet, my daughter is only 4 months old but I have the feeling this is going to me in a couple of years!
Love the pictures. That is why we do so much with kids isn’t it?
I hear ya! I’ve always had those secret thoughts too. I know no one believes it when you say stuff like this, but IT DOES GET BETTER. When they’re a little older and not apt to run into the nearest street or find the biggest stick to poke another childs eye out with, you can finally sit back and read a good book. Or laugh at the other parents with toddlers….
Hey Chrissy,
You have just summed up the joys of playgrounding so darn well. I’ve never actually put into words that reluctance I feel… I’m sure it wouldn’t be so bad if I had eyes in the back of my head… watching two kids run in different directions? Even worse with THREE! Great post.
Stopping by from SITS… happy SITS day:)
Nice post. Stopped here from SITS. But i love parks, i enjoy every part of them. Maybe coz i am not a mommy. Let’s just see.
I love this post, as I commented on it back in the day! But I’m still soooo with ya!
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
HAPPY SITS DAY-
WOW and I thought I was the only one who experienced the ‘playground meltdowns’!!!
I just decided not to go to the park today.
Lol, so true! I tell people this all the time! It was do-able when I had just one little person to constantly hover over – but with 3, forget about it!
Do what I did…find out of the way places. Or combine the park with a museum day. Go in the afternoon when all the other kids are napping. Go early! But I’m glad you go. My children are 19, 17 and 13 and I wish I could go back for the day and experience it my past as myself now. I’d appreciate the little things so much more.
this was hilarious! Especially the one about the other moms just waiting for you to mess up. I find that the nannies at the playground are totally the worst at that, I always have nannies trying to tell me what to do with my kids or giving me the stink eye if my kid gets hurt, etc! Arghhhh!
Happy sits day
I’m not there…yet…but it’s good to have a heads up! I love your blog, and happy SITS day!
I love it! EXACTLY. I’ll jump in, too, with the potential of being labeled as a horrific mother, but I also find it mind-numbingly boring. Happy SITS day!
Thank God I’m not the only one!!! What a great post. Happy SITS day!
At least I only have one at this point! She does melt down if I take her away from the swings though..
This is SO true! Great post. Good luck with the continued “kid wrangling” at the park!!!
So true! I have been a bad mommy, I have skipped park play dates 2 weeks in a row!!! sssssshhhhhh!
I hate the swing, HATE! but she loves it! The things we do
Happy SITS day
I always enjoy reading about motherhood perspectives… I feel like I’m getting fully equipped for when(ever) my time comes along
haha, I love that! So true, and so funny to way you wrote it. Lovin your blog!
Yep. My kids are older, so THANK GOD I don’t have to go to the park any longer. I always hated the Stepford Wives who could talk about nothing but their kids and looked at me sideways because my kids were eating green Fruit Rollups while theirs were begging for organic alfalfa sprouts.
I’m not a mom, but I know what you mean. I once was babysitting 5 kids (8-2) for the weekend, and we were doing okay until I took them to the playground. The oldest started freaking out about her monkey bar blisters, the youngest was unafraid of walking out into the street alone, and the second to youngest was scared of going down the hill on the bike she insisted on bringing along, so I had to hold her. Exhausting!
This is a perfect post. Seriously! It mirrors my thoughts on the park exactly! Thanks!
Congrats on your SITS day!
I relate to SO much of this, and I just have the one kiddo… congrats on your SITS day, may you get lots of comments and new followers
That pretty much sums it up for my feelings at the park, too. Thank you for putting it into words! We have a crazy park here. It is builit like a fort or castle and it is really cool for the kids, but a pain for moms and dads to keep track of where their kids are. There is even a part where my 4 year old can squeeze through and get under the bleacher area, where I can’t go. Luckily he hasn’t learned that mom can’t go in there, yet. It is my worst fear!
Congrats on your SITS day!
I don’t have kids, but I had to take a cousin to the playground once. Never again. Never, ever, ever again.
(When I was a kid, we had a swingset and slide in the backyard. Maybe that’s a good option for you?)
Look at those cute faces!!
Happy SITS day!
I certainly don’t want to rush ahead and skip out on all of the wonderful things (a-hmmm) in my toddler’s life, but I CAN’T wait until he’s older and can play freely at the park. Mommy Patrol at the playground is exhausting sometimes. Makes me want to shell out the big bucks for our own play equipment, then I can wear my bathrobe while I watch him play (I’m joking….sorta).
Happy SITS day!
Great post! The pictures are adorable. Stopping by from SITS.
cute post! your children are adorable! I don’t have kids yet, but I babysit for friends, and keeping children happy is a tough job. I definitely admire all the mommies out there.
stopping by from sits!
I really enjoyed this post! I don’t have children yet and I was always jealous of park time – I assumed I’d get a tan and read – forgot that I had to actually watch them!
Enjoy your SITS day!
I can totally relate to the playground confessions. With three small ones, taking them to the park WEARS me out! It’s supposed to be the other way around!!
Happy SITS day!
Great post! Thankfully, Felix isn’t ready for the playground quite yet… though in a year I’m sure I’ll be a full rank member of the I hate playgrounds set!
With all due respect, I have to totally disagree! I LOVE going to the playground my my toddler. It gives me the chance to be a kid again. I swing with her, go down the slide, take tons of pictures and generally made a big fool of myself. But, so what?
I am not saying your opinion is ‘wrong’ by any means just that I take it as a chance to enjoy myself. When else do supposedly serious grownups get to dig in sand for ‘treasure’ or try to fit through a wobbly kiddie bridge. Call me immature but parks are awesome imo!
My almost step daughters go to the bathroom SEPARATE times when at the park (their Dad took them). Then the one who went first has to go ~ again ~ and I’m the only one around. I flat out refused. After 5 minutes she took off to find her Dad. He got her to the bathroom and she had some poo panties. Oops.
Great post! Definately got me thinking of all those times………
thank god someone finally admitted it!! not a park fan AT ALL myself!! add having melasma on my face to the list, which makes it really hard to sit not facing the sun and trying to watch the kids….pain in my ass!! that’s why i got an acre lot and put up a swing set and huge trampoline!
I also love the rude older child whose parent is conspicuously absent and who goes around bullying smaller kids, taking their toys, refusing to share the swings, or pushing and shoving. Don’t think I won’t tell that kid how to behave though! Parks are great!
LOL hilarious and I am in COMPLETE agreeance!
This is great! So true. The park is a bittersweet outing. You go SITSter!
And the memories will follow the pictures and as time goes by, it really will be all you remember! What a wonderful post, Happy SITS Day!!!!!!
I hate going to the park because random strangers feel the need to talk to me. “Lady, we’re not homies! Stop talking to me!”
My husband doesn’t like to take the kids alone because all the women assume that he’s a single see-you-on-the-weekends dad.
Haha! I can picture my kids doing ALL of those things you said! They have and it just cracks me up. It is nice to read things like this, about other moms experiences, it makes me feel human for the the way I feel! Great post
Thanks for the laugh! Happy SITS day!!!!
Ha, I specifically remember all those things happening when my kids were little, and now with the grandkids!
Happy SITs Day!
Great job putting into words what most moms feel, LOL.
I totally agree!! You captured exactly how most of us feel.
Haha… sounds about right!
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