As a dad with three kids, I have my share of bumps and bruises. They are not from kicking a chair or impaling my thigh on the corner of an end table (although I've done that a number of times). If only that was the source of my pain. No, my scars come directly as a result of wrestling with my kids.
If you don't have kids, I'm sure you have nephews and nieces. If you don't have boys, your scars might be a little less noticeable. But the scars are there (my daughter has provided plenty).
Today's idea has to do with providing a safe place to wrestle with your kids. You see, on a safety scale (10 being very safe and 1 being flat out dangerous), my house is a 2. We have lots of pointy corners, hardwood floors and plenty of table with glass vases on them. Not exactly a place where you can throw a pillow from one corner of the room to the other. Living in Southern California, you don't tend to get the "great room" or basement that is common in the midwest.
What we do have is one long hallway upstairs - and that's where the action gets out of control. Kids running from one end to the other doing bombing runs on dad or just curious fly-by's. Every once in a while two planes (kids) will collide in mid-flight and that usually stops that part of the festivities.
The favorite game for my kids, however, is something we call "The Masked Avenger". I have an old snow ski cap that I pull down over my eyes and yell "No one can stop the masked avenger". Of course this challenge will never be left unanswered by a child. They proceed to knock me down and try to steal the mask for a game of keep away. It is a blast!
The problem is two-fold. As I've said. The house isn't safe enough and, invariably, someone gets hurt. Usually too early for the other two kids who aren't done yet. Second, the house isn't big enough anymore for the full run and tackle for which my kids are famous.
So I'd like to create a place for dads (or moms) to wrestle with the kids. I'll call it "Tim's Wrestling Room". Or maybe "Castle of the Masked Avenger". Everything there would need to be very soft and "cushiony" (as in a place with many cushions) with lots of places to hide. Surprise attacks are key to a good wrestling session.
Of course, there's something special about the unplanned wrestling that breaks out after dinner, but I think I'd like it scheduled too.
That way kids can run at me full speed, bowl me over and not break anything in our nice house. Any Masked Avengers out there? Maybe Evil Sorcerers? What do you think? Would you go?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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