Wood That You Could?
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
Wood- it just has to be wood.
After all -That’s what was in.
You just couldn’t be that person….
You know, the one who didn’t have wood. It would be the quickest way for someone to notice your shortcomings, even without opening your front door.
That is, as long as someone came around to your back.
However, suddenly now- the joke is- some new material is in. And nobody cares if it’s wood anymore. In fact, wood looks passé, if you still have it.
Old and rickety.
Now it’s some amalgamation of materials that you see everywhere. It’s this green and white set.
Suddenly “maintenance free” is the hot swing set.
Wood shmood.
This new stuff looks cheaper and gets hotter, but it’s what’s in. And that’s seems to be the true driving force.
Swing sets are a big deal at certain turning points in your life.
Early parenthood-Buying a house- Becoming a grandparent.
This is the stuff fun backyard experiences are made of. And this is the stuff statements about who you are, especially the young home owners, are made.
For the “new swing set buyers” everyone’s opinion plays a part in their purchase. But, for the grandparent only what will make their kids happy for their kids, is in the forefront of their minds.
So, it’s less about the choice of set. Because that’s usually influenced by what everyone else is getting. But, the heights and features- Now that’s where the thought goes in!
How many towers, how many infant swings. Rock wall? Ramp? Steps? Closed slide? Open slide? Long, short, curly slide? The list goes on.
However, did anyone notice that these new sets have these crazy bars across every opening that can either strangle you going down, give you a mild concussion if you pop your head up, or turn you into a pretzel to get through. Didn’t the makers realize kids often want adults going up and down with them. It’s very flattering they think we are svelte as heck, but we are simply not 2 foot 2.
They’ve got to come up with a better plan to hold their slides and swings together. Progress can’t feel like regress. Adults shouldn’t need to turn into some sort of caterpillars to join their kids on their outdoor equipment.
True the old wood sets may need painting and maintenance now, but it seems they were more generous in their spacing. Yes, young parents notice the falling apart condition and want it replaced. But no little kid ever complained about it or how it looked. What they comment on is, if an adult won’t go on it with them.
They say, “come up here with me” “Come in the club house with me”. They don’t see that you’re truly suffering to participate with them. While they are easily walking in and through almost every piece of equipment you are crawling and bending and slithering as best you can. Though, I’ve even noticed lately, with the new construction, they sometimes, need a warning to watch their heads.
I guess one thing to do could be to resign yourself to fixing up that old wood set, or else stay alert when you are buying new sets of the new phenomenon and see if you can minimize it. Alternatively, be sure to invite a little friend over whenever your kid goes outside!
Because, otherwise, you may need to be ready to navigate the most challenging obstacle course you’ve probably ever been confronted with just to see that gleam in a little child’s eyes! (Ah- – -Wood that you could just crumple up easily and fit through it with the agility of a 3-year-old!)
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com