Ready, Set, Plan

Last week, I wrote about giving my children the freedom to plan a family day over the holiday weekend.  After a fabulous time at Dave and Buster’s (and most of our $15 budget spent), we were eager to see what the kids had in store for our next activity.  

“We want to go to the indoor play place at McDonald’s!” the kids said in unison. 

“Are they serious?” I mouthed silently to my husband.  He shook his head up and down as he furrowed his brow. 

Here’s what was running through my head.  I am not a fan of fast-food restaurant play areas.  My kids always seem to get sick a few days after playing in one of those places.  It’s the end of the school year, and we have dance recitals, school parties and talent show rehearsals.  We need to stay healthy.  Plus, I have no idea how often those tubes, tunnels and slides are cleaned, and the thought of all those germs—yuck.  And, yes, I am that mom who stashes bottles of hand sanitizer in her purse and car.  

I quickly suggested a trip to one of the fabulous parks in our neighborhood. 

“Nope.  We want the play place at McDonald’s,” my daughter said as she crossed her arms. 

My husband suggested a bike ride around Laguna Niguel Regional Park. 

“You said we could choose!” my son pointed out (and rightly so). 

“Or we could fly kites at the beach?  Ride scooters around the block?  Have a water balloon fight in the backyard?”  Can you tell I was desperate? 

“McDonald’s, please.  And we don’t have to eat there.” 

Wow. They were serious. 

I knew the kids had been eyeing the McDonald’s on the corner of Cabot and La Paz.  They always made sure to point out the two-story indoor play structure while we were driving past it and (I admit) on a few occasions, driving-through McDonald’s.  I guess from my children’s perspective, the kid-sized hamster trails and slides looked like fun. I think it looked claustrophobic. 

When we got to McDonald’s, the kids immediately took off their shoes and disappeared into the colored tubes.  I went ahead and spent the last $2 of our day’s budget and bought a frozen strawberry lemonade for us to share. My husband and I sat back in a booth, sipped our drink and held hands.  And then it hit us—we were alone!  OK, not really alone, but with the kids wandering though a gigantic plastic maze, it was almost like we were alone.  It felt like an impromptu date. Brilliant! 

So now you must be thinking, “Is the Aliso Weekender really recommending a trip to McDonald’s?”  Not necessarily.  What I am recommending is giving your children a chance to plan a family day on the weekend.  Feel free to set up a few boundaries.  We gave the kids a $15 budget and told them the activities had to be within a 20-minute car ride.   And, remember, keep an open mind.  McDonald’s wasn’t exactly on our “must do” list, but we all ended up having a great time.  So much of our children’s lives are planned or on a schedule.  Take some time to enjoy a spontaneous family adventure.