BC - Before Children, my life was pretty cruisy. When I wanted to go out, I could grab my bag, get in the car, and drive straight to my destination pretty much without any distractions. In fact, I took it for granted. Why would it possibly be any other way?
When I became a parent, the other ways reared their ugly head. Because when you have a child, you need to:
a) get out of the house (Where are your shoes? Where is your drink? Where are your shorts? Why do you smell? Do you have a dirty nappy already?)
b) get into the car (C'mon, let's get in the car. Please - I am counting to three. No, we are not playing chasey now. No, I am not going to run around and chase you into the car. Get here now! Yes, now! Grrr!)
c) bring with you with all the appropriate appendages ie. shoes, drinks, snacks, clothes, hats, sunscreen, nappies, wipes... aaah, you get the picture!
And so that alone takes like 1/2 an hour (when you're organised of course). And that is if your child is willing and able.
And then there is the actual trip. Having my license for... well, some time now, I have forgotten that when you drive, you don't notice everything you pass. But when a child is sitting in the back seat near a window, they see EVERYTHING.
Every McDonalds playground, every pub playground, every park, every playground, every brightly coloured thing that a child would be attracted to because it has been designed that way because it is for a child! Oh, our little consumers...
So, getting back to going out... it's hard just to get from A to B without a winge, cry or excited little word from the back: "Swing." It's only a small word, but says plenty.
It means that usually there is a need at least twice (or more) a week where we need to visit a playground.
And getting there is just half the problem.
Eventually, we will have to leave.
And that's the other half of the problem.
It's so much fun being a parent.
Above: January - Ringwood Lake, February - Lillydale Lake, March - Croydon Park
