Why Not Let Yourself Play?

My shoulders tightened with resistance as soon as she said the words. “C’mon, Mama, you should ride one too!” We were at the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, contemplating the large, motorized animals for rent. Little kids zoomed around on zebras, hippos

My shoulders tightened with resistance as soon as she said the words. “C’mon, Mama, you should ride one too!” We were at the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, contemplating the large, motorized animals for rent. Little kids zoomed around on zebras, hippos, and elephants, weaving their way around planters and bemused onlookers.

I had told Etta she could ride one. But now she wanted me to ride one with her. No way! The thought was distinctly uncomfortable. The animals were ridiculous, absurd. I wasn’t about to make a fool of myself by hopping on a mechanized rhino and riding around the mall. Can you imagine? No, I would content myself with sitting on a bench and taking some photos and videos of Etta on her big brown and white puppy with the wide grin, flashing collar, and silly little tongue poking out of its mouth.

“C’mon, Mama!” she urged again. I opened my mouth to say no. A little voice inside me said “Why not?”

I glanced at the sign. Weight limit, 275 pounds. Dang, can’t use that as an excuse. 

Against my better judgment, I shrugged my shoulders and said okay. Etta was delighted, spinning around with excitement. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the waiting line of overgrown stuffies. 

She got on her puppy. I chose an orange and black striped tiger. If I was going to lose my dignity, at least it would be with something majestic. No fluffy puppies or clownish monkeys for me.

I pressed the red button and immediately shot off toward the pretzel stand. Whoa, these things could move! I turned the handle and veered off to the left, narrowly missing two elderly shoppers clutching Macy’s bags. “I can’t believe they let you ride these things without a license,” I exclaimed. My daughter zoomed by on her puppy, grinning from ear to ear.

Oh my god. This was actually … FUN! I laughed out loud. Ridiculous, silly, and FUN. 

I zoomed after Etta, trying to catch up. She spun in circles, laughing with delight. I followed her lead as we zipped in between trash receptacles and made a circle around the toddler play area. There was something freeing about riding a battery-charged tiger around a suburban mall and laughing out loud at the absurdity of it.

After our allotted 15 minutes was up, we reluctantly brought our steeds back to the booth. “Did you have fun, mama?” Etta asked, taking my hand in hers. “YES!” I answered enthusiastically. “I’ll totally do that with you again sometime.”

I don’t know why it’s so hard to say yes to playing, yes to being silly. Maybe because I take my parental role very seriously. I am a RESPONSIBLE person who is RESPONSIBLE for the well-being of my children. Which is great and all, but sometimes RESPONSIBLE turns into stodgy and set in my ways.

It’s good to shake things up every now and then, take a risk, try something new. Even if it means riding a stuffed tiger around a mall. 

Why not let yourself play?