Play

As children we spend hours and hours playing, We have imaginary friends, eat fake food, drink fake tea, play tag, even just lay on our backs in the snow and watch the clouds roll by. As adults we work, we pay our bills, we "play" with our kids but when do we really play?

Last night the wife and I went to her company holiday party at this wonderful indoor activity center. She moaned and groaned for days about going to this party but like a child I begged and insisted. First was pizza... Imagine 60 people in a giant room chowing on pizza and soda anticipating the handout of our "2 hrs free" cards in the arcade. Let me tell you, I haven't seen a room clear out that fast since high school. 60 adults raided that arcade like children. We were running every which way, to stand in line for laser tag, go on the go cars, bumper cars, air hockey. For a passer by it was probably the funniest thing they had seen in awhile. We did this all with very limited arguing and everyone waited in line like civilized human beings (probably all remembering the lessons we were pounding in our children's heads.)

We all played hard, shot lasers at each other, rammed each other with bumper cars, played some full contact air hockey with friends helping us cheat. When our 2 hours were up, we trudged out with sore weary bodies to our snow covered cars and trudged back to parenthood. Once again we were leaving the fun of childhood behind a couple of doors, sad that it would cost so much to return.

Cost of returning to childhood Only available to the public on Wednesdays here :

40.00 for 2 wristbands that offer unlimited play from 4pm to close
20.00 for babysitter
20.00 f0r dinner and soda
5.00 for gas
==========
85.00

In return what we brought home was priceless. We came home refreshed, giddy, and ready to play some more. We spent the next 2 hours tickling our son, blowing raspberries on Mommy's back, tackling Nana, jumping on the bed, laughing until it hurt then laughing some more, tossing our boy at the bed and watching him bounce while he giggled. The whole family slept until 11am and when we got up everyone was in a good mood. Today was a day to play in the snow, make videos to mark the day the midget was introduced to the snowball, and to come inside all rosy and drink hot cocoa around the table listening to gibberish. We all wore our slippers and pj's all day long, no one brushed their hair and if bath's weren't so fun we would have skipped those too.

In the last 24 hours we remembered what it was like to be a kid again. And in going back to childhood we appreciated and enjoyed our child more. So tomorrow, or next weekend, take the time to have a lazy kid day. You'll be amazed at just how rejuvenating it can be and your kids will love you for it.