I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, J., you're a grown woman. You have no business riding a sit and spin.
Well, I have a confession to make: I also ride shopping carts as
if they were scooters. (You know, hop on the back with one foot, push
off with the other until you get up speed, and then WHOOSH! there you go
careening down the aisles, or through the parking lot.) So relatively
speaking, a sit and spin is probably a lot safer for everyone.There's something to be said for channeling your inner kid. Your uninhibited joyful self. The side of you that doesn't care what other people think, that gets dizzy for the fun of it. As I removed the nail polish from my son's fingers this morning (he had painted them in alternating silver and gold this weekend), I felt a pang of sadness for him; he'd been informed by his fellow campers yesterday that he must be a girl because he was wearing nail polish, and so he had grudgingly asked me to take it off. I remembered his smile as the polish dried, how he waved his fingers around and watched them sparkle in the sun. And I wished that kids wouldn't start making judgements about behavior so early, at least, about the kind of behavior that isn't hurtful or destructive. Because those judgements about harmless expressions of joy turn into the kinds of inhibitions that prevent us from mounting the sit and spin.
What does your inner kid do when no one is looking? Or even when they are?
Great post! Fun and still made me think... My inner kid loves to jump and ride waves in the ocean and build sand castles at the beach, especially the drip kind. I too wish the judging didn't start so early and that children felt more free to be who they are. I also wish we as adults could live in a world that was more open minded and less quick to condem. I am glad that you embrace and entertain your inner child and seeing this photo of you made me smile! Spin away...
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ReplyDeleteGood for you! How fun. Fantastic picture.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about the nail polish. It starts young, I guess. B's favorite color was pink for a long time. Now it is green, but he still wears pink and purple T shirts. No one has said anything yet..
I. can wear nail polish here any day!
Fun! My inner kid came out yesterday: I watched The Wiazrd of Oz with the twins. It was so fun :)
ReplyDeleteFunny about the nail polish: ever since reading "Cinderella Ate My Daughter" I try to keep the beauty products away, but my daughter just got a manicure at a birthday party. Some things I just can't control, I guess...sorry about your son, though :( That sucks...
My older daughter wanted short hair this spring so she got a short pixy cut. Her friends at daycare told her shelooked like a boy. It really upset her. It made me sad and mad because it is adorable! And short hair is awesome and easy. today i ran down and dove on a slip and slde that said no one over 110 lbs. Im about 40lbs more than that. Didnt pop it whoo hoo.
ReplyDeleteI totally scooter-ride the grocery store carts, too! But there's no way on earth I could ever pretzel myself onto a sit and spin. Yea you!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to hear about your son's experience. He's welcome to come to our house any old time and paint his nails with E. :)
My inner kid fought back and became my outer self. I have absolutely no hesitation to act the fool with my kids (or without) just because it's fun.
ReplyDeleteI hate that judging starts so early. My boys have owned baby dolls, pink tea carts, and other traditionally girl toys.
I did my first summer cartwheel the other day - I do at least one each year to remind myself I can still do them and remember the joy of turning upside down. I marvel every year how my body remembers ;)
ReplyDeleteI did my first summer cartwheel the other day - I do at least one each year to remind myself I can still do them and remember the joy of turning upside down. I marvel every year how my body remembers ;)
ReplyDeleteThis post hurt my heart. Don't you hate when others try to put someone's spark out (especially your baby). I know you'll never let that happen though. They learn by watching and I'm sure he's seen you ride a few shopping carts in your day. :)
ReplyDeleteI hate that the kids teased your son about the polish :-( D's favorite color is purple and he LOVES his stuffed animals, and I never want him to lose that or feel bad for it. My inner kid...hmm. Sometimes I dance crazily in my house, and I pulled D to dance with me the other day. It was cute :-)
ReplyDeleteI like this. I do the same thing with shopping carts. Sometimes I break out my old bucket of crayons and markers, print out a coloring page and just color to my heart's content. I miss those big coloring books. I see them every once in a while when I am out and I have the urge to buy one, but I never do. Next one I see I am going to buy and color every page!
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