Sunday, December 14, 2008

Where do you go for the sake of your kids!

I think all parents must have one place (or maybe two) where they would not normally go if they weren't dragged there by their kids. We had a totally sunny weekend which was fantastic! Saturday morning I spent at home spring cleaning and day dreaming. In the afternoon, I was dragged out about lunchtime to our local mall where the kids hang out. I took the opportunity to start my Christmas shopping. From about 1.45 pm until about 8 pm, I got about 5 presents bought. To find the right gift in the right price range is a huge mission and that was just the shopping on behalf of my mom! I did get Bradley's gift bought though. As he is turning 13 this month he wanted his own skateboard which cost almost his whole birthday and Christmas present budget! And that's without the wheels and fittings - just the board! Up to last year he was still on the border of getting toys as gifts but that has all changed now. He is now a teenager! (Lucky me!)

Anyway with Sunday being sunny again my innermost wish to just vegetate at home (pathetic hey but I enjoy it) was not fulfilled. Dael slept late but mid-morning burst out of his room with "Lets go to the beach!" Now when its hot (and Sunday was a scorcher), I like to stay where its cool and shady. I have been badly sunburnt in my time as I am pretty fair skinned. No such luck! After stopping for a few supplies we headed down to the coast (I'm about 20kms inland). It was midday when we were travelling and when we arrived to try and find a parking. I could feel my patience was starting to boil along with my car! The boys jumped out leaving me to park and then to lug our bag of belongings to where they had met up with some friends at the beach skatepark. I didn't join the boys and their friends as I didn't want to cramp their style so in the heat and crowds I started to feel like the proverbial fish out of water! Dael was trying to act like Mr Tough and hadn't brought any shoes with but when his feet started to blister I had to go and hunt down a pair of slops for him still lugging my bag and dodging the crowds. Unbelievably, people actually think this is fun. Our inland visitors flock to the coast like lemmings but for me it is strictly a once a year outing. I did get in a swim in the sea and when it clouded over a bit I was actually starting to relax and enjoy. While the boys watched a bmx trick riding competition I sat on the grass and watched some artists performing mock fighting to music! A bit weird but interesting to watch! And then it was over. After hanging around waiting for the kids all afternoon Dael was ready to leave and that meant now!

I remember when I was a kid and me and my siblings wanted to go to the beach, my dad reluctantly dragging us down with all our related paraphernalia and I think now I know how he felt! So where do you go for the sake of your kids or what outing did you drag your parents on even though you knew they didn't really want to go?

PS I also did the rainbow quiz and mine is pretty accurate!

Your rainbow is shaded white.

What is says about you: You are a contemplative person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure.
Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

4 comments:

  1. for me it was also the beach... the knucklehead loves it, but i can't stand the heat and i don't like swimming either- like you i am also fair and i burn for nothing!

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  2. i do not have children yet, but i do mentor three teen girls. I am vegan, but I recently brought them to Burger King: http://brainyandbeautiful.blogspot.com/2008/11/vegan-goes-to-burger-king.html
    The things we do for love...

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  3. It's been a while since my kids were the age of yours, but I do remember! With snow on the ground here, it is a little hard to think about being on a beach, but I'm trying, it sounds mahhhvelous!

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  4. Angel - The water was okay but the sea of bodies was quite another story - you know Durbs at this time of the year - just packed with tourists. I told the boys - dont expect to go back until the New Year.

    Beautiful - I can imagine how that must have affected you. But congrats on doing that for the girls. I would like to hear more about your mentoring the teens.

    Sylvia - Yes I'm sure it does seem quite surreal to imagine that kind of heat and we have a lot of humidity. We never have snow because of our tropical climate but we did have about 10 weeks of almost continuous rain which is also quite unusual for our area. In other parts of the country the temperatures reach higher highs and lower lows but we dont often get lower than about 18 deg. C during the day.

    Thanks for commenting.

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