We celebrated my son’s 9th birthday over the weekend. It was a flurry of dining out, opening Beyblades and DSi games, and playing with Beyblades and DSi games.
One thing we didn’t do over the weekend was host a birthday party. That’s because, like many kids his age, Will did not want a birthday party. All he wanted this year was a trip to the giant indoor water park. His request–and his father’s and my reaction to this request–have prompted the following list.
Here, in reverse order, are the Top 5 Reasons I Don’t Want to Go to the Giant Indoor Water Park:
5. The Cost.
Stays at the Giant Indoor Water Park are expensive! And what’s this thing they’re charging me called a mandatory “resort fee”? Sounds like another way to milk parents out of their hard-earned dollars.
4. The noise.
Take 8 million gallons of rushing, churning, spilling water. Add 8,341 children of all ages screaming in terror and/or glee. Now enclose all that water and all those children within four walls and a roof.
3. The arcade.
Those resort masterminds, much like the masterminds at Disney World, know how to bilk you out of every last cent. One such way is by putting the Vegas-style arcade right next to the entrance to the Giant Indoor Water Park with one of those prize counters where kids can turn in $20 bucks worth of tickets for 1 bouncy ball.
2. Party rooms.
After spending all day in the loud, overpriced Giant Indoor Water Park, all you want to do is pass out from exhaustion in your room. Except you can’t. That’s because Skyenna is having, like, the most awesome sleepover ev-ah for her and her besties right next door to your room. Or above your room. And, like, they are totally not going to sleep forev-ah.
1. My husband.
My husband hates crowds, noise, arcades, people making noise in any room near his, and spending money. (Honey, if you’re reading this, you know I love you!)
And then there’s this:
All my 9-year-old wanted for his birthday was a trip to the Giant Indoor Water Park.
We’ve booked a night in August.
Have you been to a giant indoor water park?
Stand your ground, mama. I do have to add my own reason for not wanting to go to a giant, indoor water park. Namely, the view. There tends to be a lot…A LOT…of people in those parks that should not be sporting swim wear…or tatoos.
The images are hard to erase.
Ack! You’re right. We went to Great Wolf Lodge once when the kids were 4 and 1 (that picture of my son above is from that trip). I remember the amount of tattoos, mostly on women, was astounding. Simply astounding.
{Melinda} I’ve done several outdoor water parks, which are a little more tolerable. UNLESS you are chaperoning a group of 6 or 7-year-olds as part of a field trip. I’ve done it multiple times and I think I narrowly escape a full-fledged panic attack every time. Being responsible for five or six kids not drowning in a sea of chaos is a special kind of torment that I am still trying to repress!
So, maybe compared to that, your trip with your one child doesn’t seem so bad now?? Glad to be of service. 🙂
Mothering From Scratch recently posted…my top five “too much” mothering traps
Wow. Chaperoning an outdoor water park field trip would be haaaard!!! God love ya.
But you will totally get bonus brilliant mum points! P.S Skyenna is on our baby name list, how did you know!
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We did book the night there. It is all he wanted, so I guess I should start making my “brilliant mum” crown.
I couldn’t help but crack up on this one! We haven’t been to one of the parks, but we have thought about going . . . sounds like we may need to keep thinking. Thanks for the inside tips 🙂
PS Easy on the tattoos now, I may or may not sport those 😉 Of course mine are not tacky like some that I’ve seen (that of course is my opinion take it for what it’s wort)
Erin recently posted…4th of July
Oh, Erin, I would never want to offend you, my loyal reader. I’m going to guess, though, that you have some tasteful artwork on you, rather than a full body-load which is what I remember being surprised about from our first visit to the giant indoor water park. 🙂
You totally did not offend me at all. I was really just joking. I know what you mean and I know the ‘type’ that you’re referring to. I’m not crazy about most who are in that crowd; however, sometimes there are some in the crowd who surprise me with their manners and um how could you say . . . well tact 🙂
Oh by the way in my last comment that should be *worth, not *wort . . . not sure what I was thinking!? Maybe it had something to do with these other people I live with always needing me for something!
Erin recently posted…4th of July
Yep, the big parks are noisy, expensive, exhausting. But you won’t regret you took your son. Take LOTS of pics. He’s only 9 once. Suggest to your hubby (mine’s the same way) that his parents probably did things for him they hated too. 🙂
I’ve never been to an indoor water park. I always think bday parties, sans noise and crowd, are better!
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