Uptight Mother's Park

THE New Family has made it a point to extract the maximum possible enjoyment from the city parks before they relocate. Parks are a nice way for the Twin's to burn off energy and socialize with other kids.

Would you let your 2 y.o. do this?

Dad is of the opinion that while playground equipment may have been designed with a specific purpose in mind, slides are meant for children to slide down for example, but children using it in other ways is also acceptable as long as it is safe and non-destructive to the equipment. Dad has absolutely no problem with children climbing up the slide chute. Is it meant to be used that way? No. Is climbing up unsafe or harmful to the equipment? Again no. So Dad lets the Twins play on the equipment in any way their creative minds can think of.

Dad is also of the opinion that they should be loud and run around wildly at the park. They need to burn off energy. It is outdoors, and IT IS A PLAY PARK! Children need to be children. While cooped up inside, Dad doesn't tolerate yelling and wildly running around. So when and where else is it appropriate to do it?

Dad concedes that his opinion governs his children and no one else. He respects that other mothers at the park may not like their child climbing up the slide chute. He respects the fact that they may have a lower risk tolerance for their children. Dad is fine with his kids three stories up looking out over a precipice. They fear and respect heights having learned that falling down is painful from much lower levels. Other children may have not.

But at some point over protectiveness, rigid adherence to convention (you go down the slide not up), and denial of a child to yell and scream while wildly running around in circles means that that mom is just uptight. And when there are multiples of mothers all doing the same thing, that park earns the nickname Uptight Mother's Park.

Yes, Dad has observed those behaviors.

Dad has no problem with his two year old kids playing on the equipment designed for 5 ~ 12 year olds. He encourages them to climb up, to get near the edge, and to test their strength and limits. He believes that they are actually safer than the toddler whose mother is hovering above him while disallowing him to get near the edge. Dad's kids have learned that falls hurt and to respect heights. The mother's kid likely has not. That kid is more likely to tumble over the edge.

Certainly accidents happen, and risk should always be evaluated against the reward. If a fall could result in permanent injury or death, that is not acceptable. But if it would only result in having the wind knocked out of 'em and a bruise or two, Dad says loosen up.

Now, lets get to the pictures.

"Would you like fries with that?"