Park Adventures

We frequent parks with Josiah. I often like to go first thing in the morning, or later in the afternoon. I am really quite a snob when it comes to parks. I don't want to be, and it's hard to admit, but I am. I generally only pick parks in certain areas of town.

However, Chris had an errand to do downtown a couple of weeks ago, so he dropped us off at a park for about 15 minutes. It was not a park I would ever choose to visit, but it seemed like a better solution than waiting in the truck for Chris to finish.

So we began to play. The background noise was two smoking mothers screaming at their kids (Not that these two characteristics have to go together! I know some wonderful mothers who smoke and don't yell at their kids, as well as some wonderfully healthy, smoke-free mothers who scream frequently). This frightened Josiah a lot! He stayed pretty close to me. Their children were fighting, as children do, with no intervention other than the occasional scream. Josiah started mimicking their behaviors. I quickly snatched him up and we relocated to the other side of the playground. On the way there, he tried to eat a cigarette off the ground. On the way back to the truck (and after the longest 15 minutes of my life) Josiah ran towards the children (through the smoke clouds) and yelled, "fight too, fight too!" He still says those words, even though we have been hoping that he would forget.

Today, at a nicer park of my choice, Josiah picked up a couple of fleas. He was bitten several times before I realized what was happening. Someone had let their dog up on the structure. So I guess it really doesn't matter where we go sometimes!

As a parent, I am often conflicted about my attitudes towards others/places. Although I feel that I model respect for others regardless of their appearance, status, etc...I have a protectiveness now. I don't frequent certain types of places anymore. Obviously I am not talking about endangering myself or my child, but sometimes I can't help but wonder where Jesus would have taken children if he had chosen to be a father while on earth. This is a struggle that I continue to sort through!

But for now, I will have to choose between fighting or fleas :)!!