Whiz, boom. Ooh, ahh. Yawn.
As we age, we tire of fireworks.
But it takes a few decades, and most kids are not there yet. So we pack a blanket or a sheet to sit on and head for another fireworks show, whether at a festival or for the Fourth. Even if we're bored, the kids aren't.
What is the line between teaching kids your values, and letting dislikes or "been-there-done-that" restrict the richness of their young lives?
Take Disneyland and Disneyworld. Maybe they don't have quite the pull they did when I was a kid. But I got to go to each one once during visits to cousins in California and grandparents in Florida. My kids don't beg to go to Disneyland; they don't even mention it. Do they not know or not care? Or have they picked up on the fact that I for one never need to go to either place again?
Or take boating and canoeing. We don't own either kind of watercraft (I should turn in my Native Minnesotan card, I know). But I haven't forgotten how it felt as a kid on the bottom of a boat while a grownup at the outboard motor plies choppy lake waves. Or to take my turn sitting at the stern of a canoe, steering a course for the first time. As a parent, have I done all I could to give my kids those experiences—renting a boat or borrowing a canoe if necessary?
What activity or experience have you had enough of? Do you make sure your kids experienced it anyway, or do you skip it?
My husband and I have found ways to give our sons a taste of "this is what I did when I was your age" and let them have a say in whether we will all continue to tailor that particular activity to fit our family. That way they have the feeling of continuity and tradition, while we can find ways to make the same activity somewhat more refreshing and interesting as well. That said, there are definately some things that require tag-team parenting. My husband loathes the State Fair. (he's from WI, so we can give him a pass on that one). So I've taken the kids myself. When I was little, the exhibits were the highlight for my family. My boys couldn't possibly care less about the loudest rooster or the most ruby-red strawberry jam. But they find the DNR building fascinating. And we are able to build memories of "remember when Mom took us..." and "remember when Dad showed us..." , which is every bit as priceless and valuable.