This is what makes the park unique and worth the visit. This castle is made out of stone and sculptures and bridges, and also sports winding moat/creek.
The creek is what gets me into trouble with the other moms, I'm afraid. You see, I let my kids wade in the water. As far as I can tell, it's not prohibited. The moat is only a few inches deep and very accessible, very much a part of the playscape, you know? It's right in the middle. It is begging to be splashed in. And it is part of why my kids love to come here. We come planning for wet feet (except for Tess, who always manages to get wet to her neck).
The other moms don't seem to let their kids do this, as far I can tell. In fact, they spend a lot of time trying to keep their kids *out* of the water. I would never fight this battle with all my kids. If I didn't want them to get wet, I would simply go to another park. I mean, why fight that battle, you know?
So, when we got to the park, we were alone, but very soon a couple of other moms/kids showed up, and the issue began...their kids wanted to wade like my kids were doing, but their moms told them no, and so their kids fell apart, wash, rinse, repeat, the entire time we were there.
I felt badly, I really did, and I considered telling my kids to stay out of the water, but that's kind of why we were *there*, you know? It seemed pretty unfair to make them stop doing something I told them was ok just because another parent had a different decision. Was I wrong? Tell me, honestly!
In any case, they needn't worry about our intrusion again any time soon. This park is nowhere near us, and wrangling a bunch of little kids around slippery rocks and water is pretty daunting, safety-wise, so we don't come here very often.
Ok, so, this technically would end our Tour de Parque week, but it just so happens that Jack has a baseball game early in the morning with a cool park next door, so....see you then!
5 comments:
I don't let my kids get in the water either! I do at every other creek at every other park--like Gulley and the one in Farmington but for some reason it feels like they shouldn't there. But youre right, it doesn't say you can't.
Regardless, I do not think that you should pull your kids out of the water just because some other mom isn't letting hers in. It does make it hard though because you feel bad but oh, well. c'est la vie.
You said in the invite that your kids would be getting wet. Anyone who showed up was forewarned. If I had come, unless I had the proper shoes for my kids, there is no way I would've let them get wet and ruin their everyday shoes. But I would still understand completely if yours were in the water. Wouldn't bother me at all. I probably would've warned my kids ahead of time to not expect to get in the water though, so as to minimize complaining and lower their expectations.
Being a water baby I say - wade away!
Angela M.
Hi there! I'm dropping in from Adventures in the Ozarks. We love that park too and like you, I let my boys get in sometimes. Actually I run into lots of situations like this. Me letting them do things other parents don't approve of and feeling responsible when it causes meltdowns and parental difficulty. I'm more of a yes mom, and I just know it comes with a bit of it's own problems with others. You seem like a "yes" mom too, and I think it's wonderful! :)
Mine would have been in the water too. I think they need to get messy; part of being a kid. You may have seen pictures I put on Facebook of mine in a huge puddle on the sandy volleyball area of one of our local parks, ha. And yeah, other parents were telling their kids to stay out. I say to each their own - just decide and then stick to what you told your kids. :)
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