Parental confession: I'd planned to take Owen (and Simon, obviously-we're kind of a package deal) to Marineland last month, but when our plans changed unexpectedly I told Owen a little white lie. I said that the whales at Marineland had a cold and weren't feeling up to visitors that day. Afterall, they spend so much time in the chilly water it makes sense that they may get the sniffles occassionally. He was bummed for a few minutes but quickly forgot all about it and geared up for the fun day we had planned for him. At least I thought he'd forgotten all about it. Every time the little jingle played during a drive or on the T.V, Owen would belt out "Everyone looooooves Marineland!" and then ask me if the whales were feeling any better because he'd really like to visit. Each time he expressed his heartfelt concern for these flipping whales, my guilt was compounded. At the time, I thought that a little fib would be a harmless way for me to avoid dealing with a meltdown. Man, this kid forgets nothing! In retrospect, I probably didn't give Owen enough credit. Maybe if I'd just been honest and said "We're gonna give the whales a pass today and visit Niagara Falls instead.",he'd have had the opportunity to impress me with his easy-going nature. Then again, maybe he'd have had a meltdown. Even if he did pitch a fit, he'd have given me the chance to teach him to accept that sometimes plans change and we have to roll with it. I suspect my little fiblet may have robbed both Owen and I of one of those "teachable moments" all of the so-called experts seem to rave about. Of course, I'm not suggesting that this teeny weeny fib is a monumental parenting mistake-I know it's a minor blip but it gave me cause to reflect on my motivations for telling it. Still, learning this lesson may not stop me from claiming that the ju-jube I just popped in my mouth is a cough candy. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. After 6 weeks of listening to Owen's rendition of the Marineland jingle, Tim and I finally got our crap together and took the kids. Here are some pics of our day.
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| I think I'd like a pet Sea Lion. Daaaamn, those critters are smart. |
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This is exactly how I felt when I was preggers.
The deer made me feel a bit sad. The area they're kept in resembles a desert and they don't seem overly impressed with their visitors. We tried to feed them (at $2.50 for a pop for deer food!) but they weren't having it. I assume they're overfed by all of the tourists. Maybe Marineland should stick with marine animals and relocate these disgruntled deer elsewhere.
The Crick boys taking a break from all the walking. |
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Owen's a cautious kid. Convincing him to go on a kiddie ride is no small feat. While in line for the ride, I kept saying "Owen, this is going to be so fun and soooooooo safe!"
This is us approaching our seats on the kiddie ride....Wooooot!!
This is us chickening out and calling it a day. We'll try this bad boy again next year.
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What little fibs have you told your kids? Any you regret? Any you stand behind? Any fibs (or whoppers) that your parents told you? Let's hear 'em. No judgement here!
Parental confession: I'd planned to take Owen (and Simon, obviously-we're kind of a package deal) to Marineland last month, but when our plans changed unexpectedly I told Owen a little white lie. I said that the whales at Marineland had a cold and weren't feeling up to visitors that day. Afterall, they spend so much time in the chilly water it makes sense that they may get the sniffles occassionally. He was bummed for a few minutes but quickly forgot all about it and geared up for the fun day we had planned for him. At least I thought he'd forgotten all about it. Every time the little jingle played during a drive or on the T.V, Owen would belt out "Everyone looooooves Marineland!" and then ask me if the whales were feeling any better because he'd really like to visit. Each time he expressed his heartfelt concern for these flipping whales, my guilt was compounded. At the time, I thought that a little fib would be a harmless way for me to avoid dealing with a meltdown. Man, this kid forgets nothing! In retrospect, I probably didn't give Owen enough credit. Maybe if I'd just been honest and said "We're gonna give the whales a pass today and visit Niagara Falls instead.",he'd have had the opportunity to impress me with his easy-going nature. Then again, maybe he'd have had a meltdown. Even if he did pitch a fit, he'd have given me the chance to teach him to accept that sometimes plans change and we have to roll with it. I suspect my little fiblet may have robbed both Owen and I of one of those "teachable moments" all of the so-called experts seem to rave about. Of course, I'm not suggesting that this teeny weeny fib is a monumental parenting mistake-I know it's a minor blip but it gave me cause to reflect on my motivations for telling it. Still, learning this lesson may not stop me from claiming that the ju-jube I just popped in my mouth is a cough candy. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. After 6 weeks of listening to Owen's rendition of the Marineland jingle, Tim and I finally got our crap together and took the kids. Here are some pics of our day. 
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