Archer and I have a few different games that involve me carrying him and running, or spinning, or flinging him into the air (and then attempting to control the crash landing). Dad used to play games like that with us, or carry us on his shoulders. I wonder at what point we were old enough to realize we were too big for those games? I wonder how long I'll be able to do this with Archer before he's just too heavy for me? But the things I do with Archer now, that I won't be able to do later, will be replaced by thrill rides, maybe? When I fling him into the air, or spin around, or carry him and run through the house, those are equal to thrill rides at Great America, right? Well, maybe our games at home aren't EQUAL, but the thrill is the same idea...What is it about feeling like everything is out of control that we love so much? Or is it the speed and wind?
3 comments:
You wrote: "I wonder at what point we were old enough to realize we were too big for those games?" In truth, Dad had to stop when he realized that the next time either the kids were going to get hurt or he was. That's when you have to change the game to keep someone from breaking an arm or cracking their head open. For instance, if I can't throw you into a pile of pillows and blankets anymore because you're too big, now we just create a runway and let you sprint and jump into it yourself (after removing dangerous and breakable items from the area)
I believe there is a definite bias towards young people enjoying the out of control feeling more than the elders. After you have incurred enough pain and injuries from out of control situations, you have a tendancy to ease off the throttle a bit. This whole thing makes me think of the Neecy incident in the Smokey Mountains when we were hiking down a steep rocky trail and Neecy kept running our of control and the parents repeating over and over to slow down until she finally smashed down on her hands and knees scraping them badly. After we got the bleeding and crying stopped, she walked the rest of the way down the mountain!
Dad, is parenting primarily about finding ways to distract your kids? My biggest learning curve as a parent is techniques for distraction and changing the subject.
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