Chance had his first OT and speech therapy session
yesterday. He really liked it. There were games involved and lots of play
for about an hour and a half. He
basically liked it so much he had a big screaming tantrum as we tried to leave.
ugh.
That’s one of his biggest areas that could use improvement right
now. We’ll be out doing something fun
and he doesn’t want to leave. Sometimes
we won’t even be doing something all that fun (for example, the mattress store!); he just doesn’t
want to go back to the house. (And I
can’t blame him, because I’m pretty bloody sick of being stuck in the house right
now with a toddler who misses preschool something fierce, too.) He doesn’t have that level of tantrum at
home, only when we’re out (so yes, I am that
mom with that child). Obviously this kid’s social life is not at
the activity level he would desire. (I
can already imagine what high school will be like. And the fights. Oy, the fights!)
The option (just in case you thought I missed this) is to
let him play until he’s tired enough to go home with minimal fuss. So I’ve been experimenting to find the magic
number of play time. As far as I can figure with this inexact science that
number is three hours minimum. Three hours! Three hours out somewhere, doing something
(but nothing TOO loud or TOO stimulating or we guarantee a freak out), before he is tuckered enough to head home
(and sometimes not even then).
For example, we met another mom and toddler buddy at The
Jungle on Monday. We spent two hours
there – and it was cool because it wasn’t crazy busy because so many kids were
already in school – then we all went across the parking lot and had lunch at
Red Robin (another hour). I got him in
the car without a tantrum, but there was still some protest crying involved.
I actually think four hours would be ideal. Then he might even fall asleep on the way to
the car. (That would be so cool.)
However, do you know how trashed I am after three hours? (I am old.)
He goes back to preschool October 1st. I need to come up with somewhat social,
definitely active, not too over-stimulating, appropriately interesting activities
for another month.
So I start imagining… what if you had The Jungle but it only
piped in quiet classical music? And it
had a full café attached. Not a pizza
place, but a café. With free WiFi. And it could still have video games but they
wouldn’t steal your quarters and the sound would be turned way down so as not
to disturb the classical music. And there
would be attendants! Fully-trained
ex-daycare worker attendants to watch
the children. And (for myself) all the
other parents are cool because all the
children are hyperactive. The kids just
bounce off each other to their heart’s content (or until they fall asleep) while we sit and drink lattes.
I could spend 3-4 hours at that place. – wg
I could spend an entire day at that place!
a couple women here did a study into the feasibility of just such a space. they decided it wasn’t worth their time/money commitment. still doesn’t mean it’s not a good (great) idea.
anyway, i also know where of you speak as far as being out of the house. it’s a desperate need for my son. since he could walk–at 9 months.
I would spend time at a place like that, too. My niece would also love a place like this. Noise and such really throws her off focus, so my sister, also, has a hard time finding activities that she enjoys but don’t push her past her tolerance.
I think we were at Esther’s German Bakery in Los Altos when we found a little (and I mean little) shop with breakfast and lunch, a few tables inside and out front, along with a few tables out back in a small shaded garden area, and a small area inside where kids were playing in a room with calming colors with small toys. My nephew mostly entertained himself with the bugs out back, but he’s a few years older.
It sounds like you’re looking more for the Bugs Bunny scenario with good music and stimulation that will peak and fade. Find a way to enter the comic? Hmmm…
We have the same problem with our two-year-old. Three sounds like a great number. Too much makes them tired to the point of extreme crankiness. Sometimes the tantrums are even worse in that state.
It would be a good idea for adults, too! How often I’ve wished there were bars for intellectuals and/or artistic types! The coffeehouses cater to such clientele, but they don’t serve beer!
I want a singles bar where live classical and/or “world” music is played; where I can approach a woman with poetry, and not get laughed at; where there’s little small talk and alot of deep discussion; where romantic relationships are the goal, not one-night stands; yet where beer-tasting is the art!