Yesterday, Daniel didn’t have preschool because it was President’s Day. Andrew still had Parents’ Morning Out, so I was trying to come up with something fun for Daniel and I to do together.
I decided we’d try out Pump*It*Up which other parents have raved about. And it fit some of my other criteria, too — it’s cheap, full of jumping and running and other stuff to exhaust a spazzy preschooler, and the place is near lots of good shopping that Mommy wanted to do.
We arrived right before the session started and entered the play area along with a stampede of other wee ones as well as a few school kids who really probably didn’t belong in there. As I was fumbling around trying to put our shoes and coats in the cubbies and to locate my cell phone just in case the PMO tried to call, Daniel looked over the place.
He immediately found one of those read and yellow cars that you sit in and push yourself around. I’m thinking, great. All the other little kids are running towards the giant, inflated slides and bouncy houses. What does my kid do, he starts pushing himself around in the little cart, managing to run into some dad’s legs while I’m still fumbling in my bag for the cell phone.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the first thing he said when we got into the room was, “Mommy, I want to go. home. now!” in his best Caillou-imitation. I told him that we were at least going to look around and maybe try a couple of things, hoping he might warm up.
After I made him get out of the little car (because someone else wanted a turn), we did walk around, but it was all kind of overwhelming. It was really loud, just with everyone who was in there, but there was also a radio that they had playing really loudly, as if these kids needed any more hyping up.
Finally, after a few minutes, he said, “Mommy, I’m scared.”
I didn’t really blame him either.
So, we left, retrieving my $5 on the way out.
Oh well.
He did get to go shopping with Mommy, though! What more could a kid want?
And we stopped for lunch at McD’s which he loves.
