I have palm and fruit trees in my yard. I don’t own a winter coat that
would actually keep me warm in real cold.
I wear flip flops on Christmas.
And though I rarely take advantage, I could hit the beach close to 365
days a year.
Clearly there’s a reason why Southern California is
consistently voted the most desirable place to live in the United States, but
having been born and bred in the North East, living on the left coast definitely requires
some sacrifice. We’ve missed many
a birthday, barbeque and blizzard, but that’s not all. This summer taught me that we’ve blown
one of parenting’s greatest rites of passage.
 |
| (hint, hint) |
Unlike many who use Facebook only to put their best foot
forward for others, I use it to take a step back. I actually read your posts and look at your photos (assuming
they are not of abused animals). I
enjoy seeing where people’s lives have taken them partly because I truly care,
and partly because of the perspective it gives me on my own life.
So to all of you that hopped planes to Orlando this summer
to spend tons of hard earned money on airfare, hotel rooms with fold out cots, pricey
character breakfasts and day after day of long lines at Disneyworld, I envy
you.
My mother treated my girls to their first trip to California's Disneyland
to jointly celebrate their 2nd and 4th birthdays. We slept at home the night before and
the night after. We drove less than
90 minutes, round trip. We didn’t
have to deal with time zone changes, monorail stops, or forgotten
toiletries. And we visited the
park on a holiday, so the lines were minimal. It was simple… and perfect.
Now for those of you mumbling “screw you” under your breath,
I say “right back at you”.
My friend Kim Trespicio O’Brien, Bolton, Massachusetts
mother of Mason (7) and Kenzie (5), says she asked her husband Joe how long
they’d have to wait to bring her firstborn to Disney just moments after she brought him into the world. And while they did end up
waiting until both kids were out of diapers and over naps, they’ve taken the
trip more than once since. “I will say that the kids enjoyed it more than us” she says, “but
I wouldn't bet everything on that. I'm appreciating it through new eyes as an adult and a
parent.”
Well I saw the photos Kim posted on her Facebook
page, and my money is on her.
My mother often jokes about the time we drove
from Connecticut to Orlando. I was
three years old when we took off from our home in the middle of the night to
pick up friends that were traveling with us. As we pulled into their driveway, less than 30 minutes from
ours, I awoke and asked “are we there yet?”
When I think about the sacrifice my parents made
for that trip, just like Kim and Joe made for theirs, my perspective on so many
things change. Parenting isn’t
just about the times you say “no”.
It is about the times you say “yes”, and the joy you feel as a result.
My girls don’t yet know that Disneyland is just
a speck compared to Disneyworld.
They have no idea what that big golf ball is, or what the tasty
lollypops are that everyone would bring back to their classroom from “overseas”.
Still, one thing is quite clear. Someday, they will start asking for things
bigger and better than what I can offer them… a new car, help with college tuition, or the wedding of
their dreams. And while there is
definitely value taught in having to say “no”, I look forward to the few times
I can say “yes”... including, of course, the day I can say "Yes, we're going to Disneyworld".
