We are in the month of March! I don’t know whether the groundhog did or did not see his shadow. I do know that here in Northern New Jersey the winter has been very kind to us. Today was a great example. The temperature was in the mid 50’s and I thought today would be a perfect day to take my kids to the park. I picked up my oldest from pre-school and she, her friend from school, and my youngest went to the park.
The kids were all excited to run around the jungle gym, swing as high as they wanted to go, and zoom down the curvy slides. The only thing I had to watch out for was around the perimeter of the play area. There are geese that frequent the park and they like to drop land mines all around the grassy area. I had to make sure no one was going to step on them or worse yet pick up those land mines from the ground.
This park had a little sitting area where four kids could sit down and pretend they were having lunch. Engraved in the wood table were plates, forks, and knifes. All the kids scampered to that table and pretended to have lunch. They were sitting at the table and eating all the great pretend food in the world. Then entered the WOODCHIPS! I don’t recall who had the brilliant idea to cover the table in the mini timber sticks, but I saw woodchips flying here and there. They fell from the air and onto the table, the kids’ clothes, and got stuck in everyone’s hair.
I know using woodchips for a playground is better than using pavement for many reasons. If my kid falls on the pavement they are more likely to hurt themselves than they would from a park with those pesky wood particles. Yet I find it funny that those woodchips end up everywhere. The fiber confetti ends up nestling in your kid’s hair and takes forever to get out. I am trying to get the pieces out of my child’s hair while she and I both are running around because she does not want to stop having fun at the park. I can’t blame her since it was a beautiful day.
Plus you ever notice how the chips can act like instant slivers just waiting to go under you or your kid’s skin. My youngest was running around the park and she fell and braced her fall with her hands. As she got up, she was a little upset as she showed me her hands. Her hands looked as if she was holding mini porcupines. I got out all of the chips out of her hands and she went back to go on the slide.
I know I probably sound like an old man complaining about gas prices or the wages of today’s athletes, but parents you have to agree with me on this one…..right?