I have so many comments, but I will narrow it down to kids are stinky. However, one day they will not leave the bathroom and will use all the hot water. My 22-year-old still takes 3 showers a day.
I have to notice that using a pressure washer or a sprayer in a water fight would be a huge advantage (although in the case of the former the need of being plugged to a source of water cand be a little bit problematic, as my usage experience suggests). And when it comes to adding soap to the water I deem it as using a prohibited chemical weapon.
Back in the day our most dreaded water combat weapon was pouring enough to fill a plastic bag. It made for a powerful bomb, which had been outlawed when my parents figured out the spray range.
One of my uncles had actually a swimming pool built in his backyard, at the expense of not going on a family vacation. But thanks to that sacrifice he and my cousins have a decent water body completely for their own, as well as the jealousy and interest of their friends, who all want to go there as frequently as possible. They all can swim, so there's no need for a lifeguard. And when the uncle planted some palm trees around, he stated that he "had acquired tropics".
Most of the times I went to a swimming pool were mandatory visits (by either the school or my parents) so I have big aversion of them. For a few years each week I had to take my swimming courses in the place built in the communism era, which meant: terrible smell of the water due to strange chemicals used to refresh it, changing room without changing cabins (I value my privacy, unlike some of men in there), poor quality dryers and absolutely no amusement installments.
When it comes to showers, one time during a summer hiking camp organized by my school all of the boys could be sorted into three categories of shower frequency, based on their relationship status. Those who had girlfriends showered twice a day, those who were single, but wanted to be in a relationship showered once per day and those who wanted to remain single didn't shower at all.
Best thing my parents ever did was to buy the local pool club membership. We weren’t wealthy, but somehow they scrapped enough $ together every year. It was genius for them and for us. Me, my 3 siblings and various neighbor kids walked to the pool, which was only one short block from our house, every summer day directly after lunch and came home when the township 5 o’clock whistle blew. We had a carefree wonderful time! And my mother had the afternoons to herself, brilliant!
I wasn’t smart enough to buy my family home within walking distance to a pool club, so I did have a large pool installed in our backyard complete with a slide and diving board. That and the trampoline (with no netting, kids were a lot smarter, and better coordinated in the 80’s and 90’s) were the two best investments I ever made while raising my kids!
Only injury ever needing my attention in my yard was when a visiting child fell off the rope ladder to the playhouse!
It's always the piece of playground equipment. You least expect. I'm not sure if kids really were tougher back in the 80s. I suspect their deaths were just covered up better.
Know how poor we were? We had a big metal bin that my mom would fill up with water. From the eldest to the youngest, one by one, we’d wash in it. No, I didn’t grow up on a farm, I grew up in Detroit. Poor is poor even in the big city. LOL. I remember the youngest yelling the loudest because the water was always cold by the time it got to her. Funny how the most pathetic things can be humorous when 60 years has gone on, LOL.
There were times in my dad's childhood and youth during the communism era when he was able to wash only once a week. It's one of the reasons why his hatred towards that system is so strong, and I totally understand his point of view.
One of the nice things still remaining in Florida is the outside shower between the pool and the patio door. It keeps all the wet activities outdoors during the summer.
From age four thru jr high, my childhood was spent in Florida. Our house had a shower and a toilet in the utility room across from the laundry sink. My mother LOVED it! After a rotten orange fight or playing outside I would stick my head into the house and yell for Mom to get me some clean underclothes and take a shower. Mom never had to worry about us tracking sand thru the house.
At least it sounds like you don’t have a sandbox too? We had a giant sandbox (needed to accommodate 3 kids + friends, so was roughly 5 feet by 8 feet). One day, when the kids were a lot younger than now, they had a water fight, then went to play in the sandbox. That day’s “shower” was by hose, standing on the lawn -- no way was I letting all that sand into the house. Fortunately for them, our hose has both hot and cold water, so while it wasn’t shower temperature, it wasn’t freezing either.
<<In true Midwestern fashion, my greatest fear for the party was running out of food.>> This is so so true. And I echo those below about the hot water. Even our son who previously had to be nagged to take a shower one day flipped a switch and started refusing to get out of the shower until all the hot water was gone. Since his older sister was already doing that, it was the start of the hot water wars that lasted until the first went away to college.
We spent 3 summers at a pool club that we joined. Had 1 kid in grade school and 1 kid in jr. high which were the perfect ages for making friends and being in the pool without my constant attention. I was our village library's best customer - read more books than I ever thought possible. Only downside was as you said, thinking because they swam all day that it qualified as a shower.. "You may look like a Queen but it don't mean you're clean." said Mama most of the summer to the daughter. What fun it would have been to have had all the items you mentioned being in that water park.
I gave up on typical water balloons a while ago. They're always such a pain to fill, that it takes too long to get set up. My kid has reusable crochet ones that you just dunk in water every couple of throws. They make a rather satisfying splat!
Technically, everything is walkable if you give kids enough time. Maybe I'll challenge mine to walk to Disneyland this summer. Should keep them busy for a few years.
I have so many comments, but I will narrow it down to kids are stinky. However, one day they will not leave the bathroom and will use all the hot water. My 22-year-old still takes 3 showers a day.
I will gladly pay for all the water they ever want to use if it gets rid of the smells.
So true! My 18-year-old too!
I have to notice that using a pressure washer or a sprayer in a water fight would be a huge advantage (although in the case of the former the need of being plugged to a source of water cand be a little bit problematic, as my usage experience suggests). And when it comes to adding soap to the water I deem it as using a prohibited chemical weapon.
Back in the day our most dreaded water combat weapon was pouring enough to fill a plastic bag. It made for a powerful bomb, which had been outlawed when my parents figured out the spray range.
One of my uncles had actually a swimming pool built in his backyard, at the expense of not going on a family vacation. But thanks to that sacrifice he and my cousins have a decent water body completely for their own, as well as the jealousy and interest of their friends, who all want to go there as frequently as possible. They all can swim, so there's no need for a lifeguard. And when the uncle planted some palm trees around, he stated that he "had acquired tropics".
Most of the times I went to a swimming pool were mandatory visits (by either the school or my parents) so I have big aversion of them. For a few years each week I had to take my swimming courses in the place built in the communism era, which meant: terrible smell of the water due to strange chemicals used to refresh it, changing room without changing cabins (I value my privacy, unlike some of men in there), poor quality dryers and absolutely no amusement installments.
A plastic bag full of water sounds like a truly dangerous weapon. Please don't give my kids any ideas.
When it comes to showers, one time during a summer hiking camp organized by my school all of the boys could be sorted into three categories of shower frequency, based on their relationship status. Those who had girlfriends showered twice a day, those who were single, but wanted to be in a relationship showered once per day and those who wanted to remain single didn't shower at all.
Best thing my parents ever did was to buy the local pool club membership. We weren’t wealthy, but somehow they scrapped enough $ together every year. It was genius for them and for us. Me, my 3 siblings and various neighbor kids walked to the pool, which was only one short block from our house, every summer day directly after lunch and came home when the township 5 o’clock whistle blew. We had a carefree wonderful time! And my mother had the afternoons to herself, brilliant!
I wasn’t smart enough to buy my family home within walking distance to a pool club, so I did have a large pool installed in our backyard complete with a slide and diving board. That and the trampoline (with no netting, kids were a lot smarter, and better coordinated in the 80’s and 90’s) were the two best investments I ever made while raising my kids!
Only injury ever needing my attention in my yard was when a visiting child fell off the rope ladder to the playhouse!
It's always the piece of playground equipment. You least expect. I'm not sure if kids really were tougher back in the 80s. I suspect their deaths were just covered up better.
Know how poor we were? We had a big metal bin that my mom would fill up with water. From the eldest to the youngest, one by one, we’d wash in it. No, I didn’t grow up on a farm, I grew up in Detroit. Poor is poor even in the big city. LOL. I remember the youngest yelling the loudest because the water was always cold by the time it got to her. Funny how the most pathetic things can be humorous when 60 years has gone on, LOL.
There were times in my dad's childhood and youth during the communism era when he was able to wash only once a week. It's one of the reasons why his hatred towards that system is so strong, and I totally understand his point of view.
One of the nice things still remaining in Florida is the outside shower between the pool and the patio door. It keeps all the wet activities outdoors during the summer.
From age four thru jr high, my childhood was spent in Florida. Our house had a shower and a toilet in the utility room across from the laundry sink. My mother LOVED it! After a rotten orange fight or playing outside I would stick my head into the house and yell for Mom to get me some clean underclothes and take a shower. Mom never had to worry about us tracking sand thru the house.
At least it sounds like you don’t have a sandbox too? We had a giant sandbox (needed to accommodate 3 kids + friends, so was roughly 5 feet by 8 feet). One day, when the kids were a lot younger than now, they had a water fight, then went to play in the sandbox. That day’s “shower” was by hose, standing on the lawn -- no way was I letting all that sand into the house. Fortunately for them, our hose has both hot and cold water, so while it wasn’t shower temperature, it wasn’t freezing either.
<<In true Midwestern fashion, my greatest fear for the party was running out of food.>> This is so so true. And I echo those below about the hot water. Even our son who previously had to be nagged to take a shower one day flipped a switch and started refusing to get out of the shower until all the hot water was gone. Since his older sister was already doing that, it was the start of the hot water wars that lasted until the first went away to college.
We spent 3 summers at a pool club that we joined. Had 1 kid in grade school and 1 kid in jr. high which were the perfect ages for making friends and being in the pool without my constant attention. I was our village library's best customer - read more books than I ever thought possible. Only downside was as you said, thinking because they swam all day that it qualified as a shower.. "You may look like a Queen but it don't mean you're clean." said Mama most of the summer to the daughter. What fun it would have been to have had all the items you mentioned being in that water park.
I gave up on typical water balloons a while ago. They're always such a pain to fill, that it takes too long to get set up. My kid has reusable crochet ones that you just dunk in water every couple of throws. They make a rather satisfying splat!
Hilarious! One of my favorite parts: “At best, my children are a loose confederation of completely independent jurisdictions.” 😆
Technically, everything is walkable if you give kids enough time. Maybe I'll challenge mine to walk to Disneyland this summer. Should keep them busy for a few years.