Why I Love Public Play Areas

Parenting can be some what depressing when you realize that you are constantly going to make mistakes, and often times you are left wondering what really and truly IS the best choice to make. Add to that the constant attacking and defending of one's choices and you are often left feeling incredibly drained. Children will put you through different embarrassing parent moments to add to all the fun.

For instance, nothing says fun quite like the screaming, crying, drooling teething infant. You try nursing, you try teething tablets, toys, whatever. You try any 'soothing' measure known to man and try to invent a few as well. And yet, there you are going nearly insane from the lack of sleep and overload of stress while holding said infant and while you are barely able to hold your eyes open wide enough to find the teething toy your child repeatedly tosses on the floor- you still manage to see and comprehend the looks of extreme judgement being flashed your way.

Or of course, when your child gets older there comes the fun of the 'public tantrum' stage. Apparently it is childhood instinct to know that most parents are completely incompetent in saying no in the midst of public humiliation. A screaming, hysterical toddler who has snot running out of his nose (result of the tantrum) while trying to lunch himself out of the shopping cart is enough to make any sane person wonder what on Earth they could be doing wrong!

Which brings me to why I love the public play areas, the park, the play area in the mall etc. These places are rife with childhood meltdowns. The diversity in the completely humiliating, and frustrating actions are RAMPANT.

Stripping kid? Why of course! The slide just doesn't have the same feel to it when your pants are on.

Child having screaming public meltdown? At least one an hour.

Child having screaming, kicking, hitting (or other physical manifestation) tantrum? Coming right up!

Child who has somehow concocted sudden illness ranging from snot dripping EVERYWHERE to the sudden explosive vomit? Been there, done that.

Child who is to big for child area and tramples all over smaller children? Makes you want to hit something but very very common.

Child who refuses to leave and has subjected parents to the exhausting task of literally chasing child round and round the play equipment? Don't you just love to take bets to see how that one will turn out?

Oh the things that happen in the public play area! So daunting, so scary, so... so... EVERYDAY! If the public play area has one thing to tell us, ALL of us, it's that there is no 'perfect' parenting style! Each one has a built in fail when it comes to implementing in real life. Your child is going to ensure that you are constantly questioning the method you have chosen, they are going to ensure that sometime or other you feel as if you must be the worst parent EVER

Public play area- exposing Parenthood for what it is, up, down, never perfect,and highly fallible! What can you do but try your best, grit your teeth through the hard parts and realize that you definatly are not the first and will never be the last!

Mothers, Leave Your Kids At Home!

I love children, I do. I love playing with them, I love hugging them, I love listening to the creative that they bring forth when they talk. Children, are amazing and I hope that I am lucky enough one day to have a profession where I am surrounded by them. However, there is one type of child that really, really should not be brought out in public.

The sick child.

Oh don't get me wrong- this child needs love. This child needs extra cuddles, extra hugs, and probably a nice mug of tea. But what this child does not need to do is to spread their infection everywhere they can, simply because the MOTHER and FATHER do not feel like canceling their social plans. This child, does not need to be running around, snotty nosed, coughing on everything because you don't have the heart to say no. This child needs to be at 'home'. This child needs to be somewhere where he can recuperate.

This child does not need to be brought to a place where there are pregnant women, small children, and where there are other adults, who most likely have plans in the near future that does not involve them being sick.

As a parent I know that sometimes the undesired happens and hey, you have to take them out. It happens to the best of us, it does. I think that when that happens, that it is really a time when good manners (and common sense) should prevail.

Yelling- 'Cover your damn mouth' to a four year old, is not only somewhat rude, but incredibly ineffectual.

If you have to take them out, and the snot is just pouring down their poor little face, bring a ton of tissues with you. Wash your child's hands frequently. Pay attention and wipe their freaking nose already. Don't let your child run up to some unsuspecting person and wipe their snot all over the persons arm. Or leg.

Mothers, sometimes you need to leave that kid at home!