Playground Season

Playground season is upon us and no matter how hard I try, I am not a fan. I love the spring and when temperatures reach in the 70s. I love the sound of kids screaming and laughing from the playground. But being in the playground with my kids is another story. I guess I am a paranoid mother. Everything about the playground scares me, and I can't seem to relax. Of course, it was much easier to keep track of one child. Now that I have two to keep my eyes on, I am a mess most of the time. I always worry about them getting hurt. If I lose them in the crowd, even for a split second, my heart sinks to my feet. I wish I could ease up and sit on the park bench with a good book, like I see so many other parents do. Often on a nice day, I do my best to put my fears aside and head over to the playground with my kids…that is what moms do. Because the truth is: When your kids are happy, you are happy. The smiles on their faces as they go down the slide or the squeals of laughter when they run around playing hide and seek with their playground friends makes it worthwhile. And basically, that is what parenting is— you let your kids run free, away from you while you watch from a distance and hope they don't get hurt. When my daughter peaks out from the openings in the playground structure and screams, “Mommy, look at me.” I say, “I am, baby. I'm watching you!” as I am thinking, please be careful and make sure you step back and not forward. And so we watch and worry…today the playground, later on other things probably much bigger and scarier.

At the end of the day, when my kids tell me they had so much fun on the playground and if it is nice out tomorrow could they possibly go back, I say “sure” and I keep my fingers crossed and a smile on my face.