Once, sometimes twice, a summer my daughters convince me to take them to the local waterpark. There is a nice big wave pool, a waterslide, a lazy river, and a kids area. And the place is really clean. A dream come true for three little girls.
Unfortunately, their mother does not enjoy water parks. At all. A couple years ago I put them off week after week until we ended up at the water park the last day it was open. Last year we actually went twice.
Then there was this year.
It is nice because besides the wave pool, they can go in by themselves and I just have to watch.
Wednesday was our chosen day. Sue packed the lunches and water willingly and quickly. They each got their suits and towels and did a great job with their sunscreen. I even remembered to put on sunscreen this year.
All was going well. And yet…I was grumpy. And this year, I totally failed at hiding my disdain for the water park. The girls were exemplary and the crowds weren’t even overwhelming, but I was just fit to be tied. But the fun must go on. Sue decided to sit out the water slide and read her new book.
Sue decided to sit out the water slide and read her new book. Caitlyn, on the other hand, went down the slide several times. Patrice even got in on the fun and this year was able to exit the slide without going under.
And we had to have some of their massive, decently priced, snow cones…
Patrice had one too and boy did I hear it when she discovered I didn’t take her picture too!!
The girls obeyed, didn’t beg for a thing, thanked me over and over for taking them and were really…perfect…but I, was not.
I managed to get badly burned even though I put on sunscreen twice and I just acted like a brat all day long. Thing is, I had no reason to. Believe me when I say the girls couldn’t have been on better behavior.
I got home and was just needing some time, so I went upstairs, laid down on my bed and began to pray. And I quickly realized there was something I needed to say to the girls.
“Thank you for being so good today. I know I had a bad attitude about the water park, and the thing is, it had nothing to do with you guys or taking you. I enjoy taking you to fun things. And you guys made it so easy today. You listened, you obeyed, you did what you were supposed to, you didn’t whine or complain, you didn’t beg. None of my unhappiness had to do with you guys. I love seeing you having fun and playing. And you were so sweet today.”
I can’t go back and undo my attitude, but hopefully, I can help them see, I was not at all unhappy with them and how we can handle things when we have a bad attitude.
Hopefully, that will be the memory of this years’ visit to the water park.
