I recently found a great playground, and I take the boys every chance I get. They love it, and I love it that we're outside enjoying the weather and burning up some of that seemingly infinite toddler energy. The playground is very clean and has an area specifically designed for toddlers, with a toddler jungle-gym (complete with 4 slides, stairs, tunnels, tubes, etc), a large sandbox, and 4 baby swings.
We had one incident the other day at the playground with "big kid bullies." Several big kids (probably 6 years old) were playing underneath a giant turtle in the sandbox. Sam and Ben were obviously curious of these big kids and kept peeking their little faces underneath the turtle. I'm sure my boys thought the big kids were hiding on them, seeing we play games like that all the time. After several minutes of the big bullies shouting, "Get out of here, babies!" at my boys, I finally intervened, as it became obvious that the lazy, gossiping moms sitting on the benches were obviously not going to mind their own children. I reminded the big kids that at the playground, we should all learn to play nicely with one another, and that Sam and Ben are young and don't mean any harm -- and that the big kids should know better than to be mean to babies. I don't care if that is overstepping the Mom boundaries -- because if you aren't going to mind your children, and if your children are being downright mean to MY kids, well, then, I'm going to step in!
Juggling the boys at the playground is a real physical challenge for me. They both love to climb, so Sam will be climbing up the stairs on one side while Ben runs around inside the jungle gym, and as I go to monitor Sam, Ben will decide he is ready for the slide. And so it goes. Ben actually did take several trips down the slide by himself, and I was fortunate to catch him as he slid head-first down the twisty slide!As exhausting as the playground is for me, I plan to go every nice day before winter arrives!
A picture to truly capture how challenging the twin-toddler chasing actually is! Notice Sam wandering around on the ground below the jungle-gym.
Sam is actually standing on the ground and whining for me to pick him up -- but I thought these pictures were so funny, it looks like he's dangling 100 feet above the ground!
Hiding in the slide
Even their swinging styles are different.
5 comments:
These pictures are SO cute!! I love the one of Sam "dangling" with his head thrown back in a whine. And the one of Ben in the swing looks like he's doing his best "evil genius" impersonation. They're so adorable.
I look forward to being able to take colin to the playground more, but right now it is too dangerous for him. He wants to climb the ladder but can't, he doesn't seem to have a fear of falling 3ft.
I love the pics. The boys are so cute. We will see you in chitt in october right?
I think that standing up to those bullies was the right thing to do. I cannot believe that the moms of those kids weren't watching them. However, I might be singing a different tune when I am in that situation. (I have been doing that a lot lately)
I bet that you burn a lot of calories when you go to the playground....it sounds like a workout! Ben and Sam look like they love it. Annabelle is excited to meet them!
Haha I love the pictures of Sam "hanging". The second one looks SO much like the look Kamden gives me when I don't pick him up fast enough. LOVE it!
Those pictures are awesome!! I can't believe how some parents can be when their children are mistreating others...grrrr. I love reading your blog because I get to see what I'm in for in the coming year...chasing my boys around the playground! I can't wait :-)
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