Never Fails
I dress them in swimsuits. Slather on the sunscreen. Pack snacks, towels and a changed of clothes. Head to fountains at the Spectrum and.... NOTHING. They want nothing to do with the water.
BUT
Go at 7pm when they should be well on their way to bed, to run into Target, where the fountain happens to be strategically placed in front of, with no swimsuits, no towel or change of clothes, not even a napkin to dry off with, and BAM they swarm the fountain like they're going on a ride at Disneyland! Every fiber of being told me it was going to end badly. I saw them eyeing it, I saw them tip-toeing over, I saw them look back at me for approval aaaaaand I could not resist!
Before they got too carried away I informed them that it was gong to be an ugly ending. They were going to be cold and wet and miserable and they wouldn't be allowed to complain because I told them it was going to happen. (Like when they receive a balloon and I make them recite, "This balloon will either pop or fly away and I will not cry when it happens.") They had fair warning.
They had a great time!
And overall, sans a nudey Troy
and a freezing Addie,
they held their tongues when it was time to go.
When we were walking back to the parking lot a seasoned mother (probably had grandkids of her own) chuckled as we past by. I apologized for my nearly naked son and mentioned our "run in" with a certain, unavoidable fountain. She just laughed and said, "I LOVE it! That is where the real fun is! Run in fountains with your clothes on while you can, kids, before you're too old and you get the cops called on you for doing it!"
Truer words were never spoken.
BUT
Go at 7pm when they should be well on their way to bed, to run into Target, where the fountain happens to be strategically placed in front of, with no swimsuits, no towel or change of clothes, not even a napkin to dry off with, and BAM they swarm the fountain like they're going on a ride at Disneyland! Every fiber of being told me it was going to end badly. I saw them eyeing it, I saw them tip-toeing over, I saw them look back at me for approval aaaaaand I could not resist!
Before they got too carried away I informed them that it was gong to be an ugly ending. They were going to be cold and wet and miserable and they wouldn't be allowed to complain because I told them it was going to happen. (Like when they receive a balloon and I make them recite, "This balloon will either pop or fly away and I will not cry when it happens.") They had fair warning.
They had a great time!
And overall, sans a nudey Troy
and a freezing Addie,
they held their tongues when it was time to go.
When we were walking back to the parking lot a seasoned mother (probably had grandkids of her own) chuckled as we past by. I apologized for my nearly naked son and mentioned our "run in" with a certain, unavoidable fountain. She just laughed and said, "I LOVE it! That is where the real fun is! Run in fountains with your clothes on while you can, kids, before you're too old and you get the cops called on you for doing it!"
Truer words were never spoken.
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