 Some are living in their basements; others start their cars 10
minutes before they have to leave their basement. Some people get a
few good books and hunker down in an air-conditioned room, and some
go out jogging because... well... I don't know why anyone would be
so dumb. It is unlikely that heatstroke is on their bucket list, but
any other answer eludes me.When the temperature cooled into the
high 90s, I took my kids to a water park. I could be content to soak
in the shallows of a wave pool or float around on a tube, slowly
crisping myself, but it was too hot for lying in the sun. I would
have to immerse my body in water to stay cool. Besides, at this
particular water park, there were no wave pools or tube rivers.
Simply a lot of lukewarm water with a lot of slides, towers, ropes
and pulleys meant to test your affinity for extreme sports.
My kids loved this park. Even my daughter, who shares my
unfortunate fear of heights, climbed a 25-foot wooden ladder and
slid down a 5-foot slide into thin air. I am ashamed to say that my
only thought was one of relief that I wouldn't have to climb that
tower to get her back down.
My 10-year-old, on the other hand, doesn't know what fear is
until it is too late. I think a little fear is healthy. It's what
keeps most of us alive. The only thing that has kept my boy alive so
far is threat of video game deprivation:
"There will be no video games this weekend if you kill yourself."
He has no fear and he has no shame. I bought him new swimming
trunks the day before, but they were a little loose. I was the only
one bothered by the fact that his little white behind kept peeking
out of them. I pretended I didn't know him.
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 My main haunts were the "banana slide" -- which was a long, slow,
wedgie-proof slide -- and a lawn chair in the shade. This worked out
well because these were the places my 10-year-old would not be. At
least I knew if he was riding a short, fast chute slide, his pants
would stay up.
My 15-year old son had the nerve to tell my daughter, "Mom,
wouldn't be caught dead on the Tarzan ropes..." Which is why I was
forced to swing on a 30-foot rope, drop into an 8-foot watery abyss
and receive the full benefit of an exhilarating ride, which, as far
as I could tell, was a sinus cavity full of water. If there were any
other benefits, I was having trouble recognizing them.
Having water up my nose somewhat deflated the impact of the "Take
that!" that I was trying to give my son. The fact that he wasn't
even watching and nobody had taken a picture meant it didn't really
happen anyway. The water in my nose was proof enough for me.
At this point, a book and an air-conditioned room were looking
really good.
[By LAURA SNYDER]
Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated
columnist, author and speaker. You can reach her at
lsnyder@lauraonlife.com
or visit www.lauraonlife.com
for more info. |
