I Want To Do Something Fun
By Mr.e

I’m assuming that most parents are familiar with this most insistent plea dramatically articulated by our offspring from time to time. Sometimes I think I’m living in an echo area because the phrase resounds continuously.

As if doing laundry, dishes, vacuuming, shopping, cooking and baking among the myriad of everyday household chores were not exciting enough for your average preschooler.

Now that our preschooler is beginning to enjoy an expanded range of activities and interests, the daily walk up to one of the nearby playgrounds and some vertical airtime on the tire-swing is just not enough to keep the fires of excitement kindled anymore.

Now making the eight-block trek to the library for the bimonthly restocking of reading materials is fun; more so for her than for me. I’m the guy who gets to schlep twenty books and a hand full of CD’s to-and-fro. Add to that a very tired (and growing) preschooler on the homeward stretch and you can understand that the fun part was the library.

When we use the car for the library trip we hit another popular playground (when the weather permits) that seems to be connected to the library and is a mandatory pit stop between chores. That is always fun, until it’s time to move on.

Yesterday we went on an adventure outing. The excitement levels were peaking because the plan was not shared until the night. It was a trip downtown on the bus and light transit systems this city offers. The novelty of not having a seatbelt to wear caused some concern soon replaced by the new travel route and new things to see.

Our destination was a science center catering to the curious minds and hands on learning of children; a giant indoor playground for both kids and parents alike. Now we were definitely having fun. Between the play rooms, exhibits, science stage shows, films and various interactive stations we were having so much fun that time just flew by (four hours to be exact). Leaving that place was no problem because we were off for another transit trip.

Things turned very mellow on the way home and my little travel companion succumbed to the aftermath of too much fun and drifted off into that dreamy place. Once off the bus I provided a convenient and continued means of transport for a few blocks before the little legs were again operational.

I was having fun too while reading a book to my daughter on the couch. Then I started thinking about all of the things I still needed to get done (this being a weekday), moments before my eyes slammed shut and I succumbed to an unavoidable mini nap before launching into the laundry, dinner and bath duties.

What are we doing today? Well, after I finish this piece, stuff another load of laundry into the machine and do the breakfast dishes, we are off to the theme park, a walk and then perhaps I’ll make some play-dough before lunch, or after. That box of cookie cutters smack-dab in the middle of the kitchen shelf was a pretty clear hint this morning when I stumbled downstairs to put the coffee on.

It is true; girls just want to have fun.