'nastics

There is a problem with being the third child. Specifically, the third boy in the family. You are forever the baby and you have a lack of activities geared towards you. I guess that was two problems.

Really though, in most families, (or is it just mine?) the third child doesn't get Music Together, playdates or leisurely mornings in the park. Instead they are often shuttled to be babysat while mom volunteers (again, personal experience), they spend hours at soccer/baseball/dance/swimming lessons and they sit in long pick up lines at school.

Because of the injustice, I decided to see if Harrison would like an activity of his own. Something that would keep him happy and active, plus maybe make him a friend. (Independant of his brothers!) Enter, gymnastics at the Little Gym.

{this is how he starts. refusal to do the warm up circle time activities. instead he sits with me by the wall}

{or often, he'll play on the equipment when he's not supposed to, when the other kids are singing and warming up}


{finally the real activities begin and harrison will participate}

{serious love for jumping}

See, here's the thing. Most of the parents, they sit out in the parent waiting area. Behind the glass and the door. They watch the kids but they mostly chat with one another. I have to sit in the room. I have to have the boy pressed up to my side while the other kids sit in the circle. I have to encourage him (read: threaten) to participate in the jumping and forward rolls.

While I might prefer to sit behind that smudged glass wall, watching him clap and jump...watching him break into a huge grin after a particularly huge landing makes it okay. It makes me appreciate the last bits of my preschooler joy.