We just returned from a family road trip from Decatur to Chicago and Northwest Indiana to visit family, and it was a rather exhausting adventure. Only a few hours into the 14-hour trip, we had a major blowout . The tired tread ripped the ABS line and the A/C line and caused lots of body damage. Luckily, we were able to get off the road safely. After a couple of stops to assess the damage and get a new tire we had to make the tough decision – tell the kids that our vacation was canceled and return home or keep going without A/C.
We decided to keep going. The kids didn’t care much about the A/C and actually prefer to ride with the windows down. A breeze picked up as it got later in the evening. After an overnight stay in a hotel about mid way, we made to our destination safely. When we released them from their car seats, the kids bounced out of the van like little balls of energy. My husband and I wobbled like we walked from Decatur, GA. Thank goodness for older cousins!
My 8-year old nephew was so excited to see his little cousins that he picked up and hugged each one. It was funny to see an 8-year old so excited to see a two and 4-year old, and vice versa, but I could tell that major fun was about to start. And better yet, I didn’t need to be a part of it…”I’m going to get you!” hollers my nephew. “Ahhhhh!!” my kids scream and run in opposite directions. He scoops them up quickly, tackles them to the ground and tickles them. “Now you chase me!” My 4-year old is a lot faster than she looks. She tackles him to the ground. My 2-year old jumps on top of the pile. My nephew throws them off but they keep on coming, jumping, tackling and more tickling. He is strong enough to give them quite a challenge but smart enough to know not to hurt them. Mixed aged play is amazing to watch.
All of this activity reminded me of my childhood. Before play dates and all of this other structured fun, parents simply sent their kids outside. At least mine did, but I grew up in a small town in Indiana. At that time, you played with whoever lived on your block. There was quite a range of ages and personalities from leaders to bullies and everyone in between. I was the shy kid, and honestly I would have felt more comfortable in a parent-initiated play environment but then again, given my personality, mixed aged play is probably just what I needed. I learned how to speak up so that I could be a part of the big kid games, how to deal with bullies, how to make up my own games and be a leader, and how to nurture the little ones. I also learned some things earlier than my parents would have liked…the downside to mixed aged play from a parental perspective.
While I was the shy kid my kids are just the opposite – extremely outgoing social butterflies who love to meet new people. And they adore children of all from babies to teenagers. It’s like it would have been a better fit I had their childhood and they had mine. I wish that they could be involved in mixed aged play more often, but it seems difficult to find in Decatur. Play groups are filled with the children of the same ages. Even at the playground we must miss the time of day when the older kids come to play. I’ve also had trouble signing up for certain classes because they want children under age three in a different class from children over three, which means that my kids can’t even be in the same class together. What’s up with that? Where’s the adventure in that? Can children really only benefit from playing with other children of the same age? Where’s the mixed aged play?
