That’s just what a random five-year-old kid did on the turn
before mine. And it looked easy enough.
Besides, I’ve been known to do forward flips off the diving
board with regularity, if not with grace. How different could it be?
Once the kid before me cleared the landing area, and
the teenager with the whistle signaled it was my turn to go, and my
daughter watching gave me a supportive “whoop,” that’s what I set out to
do – a forward flip. Yes. It was decided.
Yet somewhere between my second bound on the trampoline and
the final launching one, all the courage I had mustered sprung right out of me. Rather than a final bound and a flip, my frightened
legs absorbed the momentum like old shocks, and I stuttered cautiously to the
edge and lamely fell face first toward the waiting foam.
I imagine there’s a moment growing up when a kid realizes
their parents aren’t super heroes; when it dawns on them that the person they’ve
held in special regard all these years is just normal, and not even terribly cool.
If it hadn’t happened already, that moment certainly occurred
for my eldest daughter as my uncoordinated, hulking mass of trepidation gingerly leapt over the edge of the precipice and landed awkwardly in the pile of foam cubes.
No height to my vault. No gracefulness. No
flip.
Of course, she would tell you the moment she realized my failings had happened much sooner.
And many times over.
Pink-panted blur in the middle is our 7 year old. The boy is the one literally bouncing off the wall. |
Our family found ourselves at the trampoline park during the kids’
recent February break – a traditional week off in the middle of winter when most
upstate New Yorkers high-tail it for Florida. We, as usual, did not. Instead, we bounced.
Luckily for us we live in a place where people would go insane if someone didn't design and build lots of indoor entertainment facilities -- like the indoor ropes course at Canyon Climb, or the 26,000 square foot kids' play arena at Billy Bees, or the field o' trampoline at Sky Zone.
The trampoline park, built inside a cavernous
rectangular space that used to be a Hechinger’s, is divided into sections: a
general bouncing area with many small squares for individual jumping; three “dodge
ball courts” for specific age groups and private parties; a basketball dunking section with two hoops; and then the infamous
foam pits. You pay per person for passes to the whole park in 30 minute increments,
and are required to wear specific trampoline “SkySocks” with sticky bottoms – which
you can buy for two bucks.
There are lots of safety rules, like only one person per
trampoline square and no double flips (no worries there). All bouncers are divided by age, so that
little kids are only jumping around other small people, which makes sense but can
create some logistical challenges for bigger families.
It can also get crowded quick, so it’s a good idea to call
ahead on busy weekends and over the holiday break.
For the most part, the kids liked bouncing around the park
(and that they got to keep the brightly-colored orange socks we had to buy to
enter). Not exactly “Disney ears,” but certainly a useful addition to the sock
drawer. Hey, you never know when you're gonna need trampoline socks that match absolutely nothing you own.
It was fun for all. Though next time we’re bringing a friend for our oldest so
she has someone her size to bounce with – or they can just pout and roll their eyes
in unison.
No matter what we do, I’m going to avoid the foam pit of disappointment.
Then again.
Maybe I’ll try to redeem myself. How hard could that be?
Yes. It’s decided. I will do a flip …
next time.
Like the article? Here's others you may enjoy: Vegas, Baby!, Dog Responds to "Mystery Poo" False Accusations, and Tip of the Hat to Single Parents, and Thanks to My Backup,
Like the article? Here's others you may enjoy: Vegas, Baby!, Dog Responds to "Mystery Poo" False Accusations, and Tip of the Hat to Single Parents, and Thanks to My Backup,
2 comments:
Cort, my guess is that 20 years ago you would not have thought twice about jumping into the pit and would have just done it.
The difference between now and then is a recognition of mortality. In our twenties and before bumps and bruises healed overnight, now not so much.
You're absolutely right, Jack. wisdom comes with age, so does fear of pain.
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