There were so serene, so peaceful. Three mothers and six daughters all sat chatting on their trampoline at our local trampoline park. It definitely looked like a planned outing. Maybe they did it every week. They seemed to have that particular spot staked out.
As I had one eye on him, I had another eye on what would be the end of their tranquil morning outing. My son was struggling to get his shoes off, eyes transfixed on the rows of trampolines in front of him. I'm sure that playgroup looked at those trampolines each week and saw a lovely, relaxing morning. Unfortunately for them, my son saw his chance at toddler ninja warrior glory.
I probably should have warned them but I figured my son had already given them a decent warning shot across their bow. Immediately after getting our shoes off, my son ran up to one of the little girls to see hello. The timing could not have been better as the speaker system came to life, and music began booming through the whole place. Little buddy immediately began breaking it down, complete with yelling for the little girl to join in. Needless to say, she didn't join in but merely stared at him with mouth open.
Undeterred, little man moved on to the trampoline stretch occupied by the aforementioned playgroup and began to unleash the hounds on them. As he bounced and shrieked, I had an incredibly hard time holding in my laughter. The dainty girls tried to continue to sit quietly, but that's really difficult to do when a screaming banshee is right next to you.
Ultimately, I had a parenting choice to make. I could quiet my son and ask him to restrain himself at this trampoline park that we had paid good money to enter, or I could have some fun. I chose fun.
I hopped onto the adjoining trampoline and began jumping as high as I could go (not that high really, but toddlers can't tell that just yet). Another little boy came over and joined in. My son screamed his approval.
As the whole place began to shake, the exodus occurred. The mothers and daughters began running for their lives in much the same way that ants run from flowing water. While giving me the dirtiest looks possible, they beat a hasty retreat for the other side of the trampoline park, away from the raucous and unrefined males.
My little man and I had a marvelous time. We jumped and performed semi-dangerous tricks for about an hour. Those little girls didn't get with one hundred yards of us, and that's OK. We had a decision to make and we made it. When entering a trampoline park, you can either jump or you can sit. We chose to jump, and we took no prisoners.
