The Helicopter

Because the weather has been fantastic here in NYC, we've been spending a lot of time at the park. As parents of four children, you'd think that our ultimate haven is the playground, I'm sad to say it's not. The playground is actually the center of all our nightmares. I sometimes side glance with envy at the parents who get to sit on a bench and relax while their kids frolic amongst the play area; while we have to patrol around making head counts. 

At the playground we like to keep our ducks in a row, so making boundaries before we even enter the park is a must. This might seem extreme to some but we can't function without a full out plan; like what's off limits and knowing how long we'll stay. When choosing a park we like to pick one that has one or two exits the max, this strategy helps us avoid escapes and when you've chased an inmate, I mean a child whose booking it towards the ice-cream truck or greener pastures, you tend to be selective.

We've actually hit the jackpot at the kids school, the playground is very much enclosed and the kids love it. If you ever go to a park and see a mom chasing her children up the rock climbing wall or being pushed down the slide by her kids, don't be shy and say hello, I'm quite friendly.

I was once at an appointment with Noah and I picked up an article that could determine your parenting style all based on your reactions in a playground. After taking the survey it turns out my parenting style was considerd the hovering type; "The Helicoptor Mom".  I know the park bench days are fairly near but for now, I'm okay with the hover.

Who Outed Santa?!

Noah and Jonah's school was hosting their annual Boo Bash celebrating Halloween. Noah wanted to be The Dark Knight and after searching with no luck in the costume aisle of Target we conned him into being Spider-man (a good runner up if you ask me). So the night after the wonderful event he and I were chatting about super heroes and he commented that Spider-man lived in New York but were was Gotham City located. Him being seven and all, I gently told him that super heroes didn't exist and even though Spider-man lives in NYC he's a made up character. With a no-brainer look on his face he replays "OK, is there anyone else that doesn't exist?" I kinda gave him that puzzled look, as in are you sure you want to know. He continued with a "come on, I can handle it" (Jack Nicholson would be so proud). So I thought to myself, Yes! he's ready to know the truth about the big guy and so I proceeded with a "well, Santa isn't real" he opened his eyes, but still giving me that poker face said "so the Easter Bunny isn't real?" and I said no.  He continued, cool as a cucumber and asked what else wasn't real and so I showed him his baby teeth (yes, I still have 'em) and that  my friends was the straw that broke the camels back "YOU'RE THE TOOTH FAIRY?!!!" and with teary eyes he ran away saying "thanks a lot mom". So, I did it, I broke my sons heart (insert sad face here) I have never felt more crummier as a mom in my whole seven years being a mother.

So a couple of days later we picked him up from school, he hands me his classwork, winks and says "we're writing persuasive letters to Santa". Guess who's not feeling so crummy anymore? (insert half smile here).