So we had a great day today. James took the rare day off, so we packed the day with activities. We:
-visited the Austin Children's Museum, (Sorry for those of you who are fans, but it was not half as good as the one in Houston. But, I did get a new smashed penny, which made the outrageous entrance fee and parking hassles all worth it!)
-picked out pumpkins in a pumpkin patch,
-ate lunch and played at Central Market,
-and drove around the hill country taking in scenery.
At the end of the day we went to Shakes (a great frozen custard shop) and let the kids play in a great little park area near the shopping area.
What makes it so great is that there were three or four HUGE, rambling oak trees. They were easily over a hundred or so years old. They had super large twisted trunks great for climbing and branches with a few that grew low to the ground (almost parallel).
Now, I am not a super confrontational person, but I will speak up on occasion. So we were sitting next to a table of about six moms who were talking and eating and basically ignoring their gang of kids. I don't have a problem with parents getting out and enjoying each others company, but I was getting pretty annoyed. Their kids were not just climbing the trees and branches, playing around them, or even jumping off them. All of which I am okay with. However, they were literally ganging up on the poor trees unrestrained. They were jumping, shaking and bending the branches so violently, that I swear I could hear the branches scream, "help us!"
So I pointed rudely, and said, "Um...do you think that they are being a little too rough with the trees?" One mom caught my drift and replied, "well, usually they just bounce on the branches." The other moms continued to ignore their marauding children.
Have you ever observed a tree grow in your yard? It takes a LONG time. I have no problem with climbing or hanging of the branches, but seriously the thought of one of those beautiful branches breaking off made me angry. If this happening in some one's private yard, I wouldn't have bothered (except to keep my kids from participating), but I felt that these trees were for all of us to enjoy, be respective of, and responsible for.
My kids finished up eating and were getting ready to venture out to the trees so we had a talk about being nice to the trees and then directed them to another tree that they could safely sit on. At the same time I heard a mom on the other side of the park area call out loudly to her kids as she noticed them wander over to the marauders... "X and X, come back over here please, it is not okay to treat the trees so disrespectfully. Those tree are old and those other kids should not be playing so rough."
Ahhh...a kindred spirit.
2 years ago
5 comments:
Kristen gets a pass from her library to the children's to museum for free. Maybe you should see if your library has one. If it doesn't, you could call her up and invite her to go with you, I'm sure she would love to go.
Good for you girl! Nothing wrong with speaking up (as long as they don't look like rough, gun-toting people). :)
We LOVE the Houston Children's Museum and have yet to find one that comes even close to it's fun-ness.
I agree that the Houston museum is a lot of fun, but I feel like my kids have more fun at the Austin museum... I think it's less overwhelming and there is more that 3 & 4 year olds can do all by themselves - of course, we only go on Wed night when it's free...
glad you said something. I have often had to remind my kids that tress are living and that we shouldn't pull on their branches just as we wouldn't want someone to pull our hair or pull our arms off...they leave the trees a lone pretty quick.l
Good for you! Trees have feelings too -- my three year-old told me that just the other day. :)
Post a Comment