“Emma! Emma! You stop that right now and get down here!”
I looked up from tweeting on my phone to watch a father try to get his daughter down and out of the play area.
“Emma, NOW! Get down here!” He repeated again. You could hear the anger and frustration rising in his voice.
I tried to concentrate on what I was doing because I hate it when people stare and gawk at me when I am trying to get my kids to listen but I couldn’t help it. I just had to watch because let’s face it, I was just glad that it was not me.
“Emma. Come down here, RIGHT NOW!” I heard the father say again and then I heard him mumble under his breath, “Yeah, your smiling now but your are not going to be.”
And that right there is when I realized that she knew the secret. She knew the little secret that all parents know and that we don’t want our kids to know. I was terrified. I looked around to make sure that my kids weren’t watching this.
What if they were watching this?!
What if they were taking notes and figuring out this secret that I desperately don’t want them to know?
Thankfully, they were on the other side of the play area dropping their Happy Meal toys on unsuspecting children. Whew, there is no way I want them to learn this.
I do not want them to know that when you let your child go and play in any of those lovely play areas like a Play Land at McDonald’s and they begin to misbehave or refuse to come down, we parents are helpless.
You can scream and yell at your child all you want but there is no way that that kid is going to come down when they know they are in trouble. I mean, can you blame them? They are totally safe because what parent is going to risk taking their large ass up there and getting it stuck.
(Not that any of you have a large as in huge ass but you know what I mean. Even with a teeny tweeny ass, you could get stuck.)
I know that I don’t want this. I have had to climb up in those things more times than I care to remember to retrieve a scared child. That is why when I want my kids to come down, I always tell them that I have a treat and then they come running.
Because there is no way that I want my kids to figure out this little secret. I just can’t have this. Those play area’s are my life saver during the winter and on rainy days.
Buried with children 
I had to climb up one to get a kid out when I was 8 months pregnant once… OMG. I didn’t think I’d make it out.
.-= Jayme´s last blog ..PINT w-Supah! =-.
I have been up those things more than I care to admit too!! Ah well, worth the pain for the amusement they allow the children!
.-= sara@domesticallychallenged´s last blog ..Colorado! =-.
I too have climbed up there to retrieve my “not yet ready” child from the very top. My sister snapped a video of my huge ass coming back down and put it on her FB page. That was awesome.
Funny, we went to McDonalds today too, and I also used the “mommy has a treat for you!” trick to get my kid to leave. I hope that trick works FOREVER.
.-= Mary Ellen´s last blog ..Highlights From our Trip =-.
Ha! I’m pretty sure my daughter has figured this out, she’s way too smart for her own good.
.-= Carabee´s last blog ..Because My Brain Just Cant Come Up With More =-.
You just make sure that your daughter does not spill the beans to other children and ruin it for their parents. 😉
Omg so true!! LOL Mine has done this on a few occassions last winter & I had to quit taking him because I think he figured it out!! LOL
.-= Megan´s last blog ..My baby boy is 4 =-.
Oh, I’ve been a fan of the “treat” method of redirection for a long time. Whatever works, right? 🙂
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..How My Kids Sabotaged My Get-Fit-Quick Scheme =-.
Thank GOD my kids haven’t figured this out yet! I did get a, “Mom, you are annoying me today.”. Say whaaaaat?
.-= Rachel {at} Mommy Needs a Vacation´s last blog ..Summertime Shades =-.
Yep, kids figure it out pretty quickly. Frustration for parents! Ugh…
.-= CynthiaK´s last blog ..Dude- have you seen my cigar Wordless Wednesdaysort of =-.
heaven forbid that my son figure this out…
.-= cheri´s last blog ..two types of friends =-.
I never thought about it before (probably because my kids have never once been in a playland), but you are right. They really are in control when they are up high and in those tubes!
We have to have some tools in our parenting arsenal. If we lose that one, it’s a big one:-)
I never had that problem. I let them all know that when its time to come out I expect they WILL come out. and if they dont, we wont return. ONE time someone didnt come out and we didnt go back there for almost a year! NEVER had another problem getting them out. I like your I have a treat idea though. but if I buy THEM ice cream I will want ice cream, and truly for my fat ass THAT would be worse than climbing up there! lol
How can you not return? What else are you suppose to do with children. 😉
Ha, Enjoyed Reading.. It would be so embarrassing for parents in such a situation, whereas kids enjoy it.. Thank God you escaped..
my latest blog.. http://ramlakmi.blogspot.com/
Oh you are so right! It would be truly dangerous if they learned that. Especially for you being out numbered. That poor dad. And you are right it is so hard to not just look and smile and think, glad it is not me (at least this time)
I do not think that we appreciate our excellent weather with almost all year round outdoors weather. And still, I do use these places.
There are many things I fear, like the day when my kids ask me what happens on 1, 2… 3! 🙂
Brilliant post!
Yeah, I’ve had the nightmare of all nightmares in one of those indoor play places (Chuck E Cheese tunnels). How about witnessing your newly potty trained daughter POOP in the tunnel? You look up and see her ‘concentrating’ – you know? that “don’t bother me. I can’t move. I’m pooping” look? Yeah…and I yell at her to “stop! Right now! Don’t do it! Get down here and go potty!!!!” And all she does is look at me, red faced, eyes bulging and shake her head “no.’ OMG! Then I had to try to coax her down NOT on the SLIDE! NO! NOT THE SLIDE!!! but down the platforms – MAKE SURE YOU STAY ON YOUR BELLY! and then try to get her to the bathroom as discreetly as you can while your friends nicely go tell the workers that they think some kid pooped in the tunnels…
yeah…those are the best friends ever.
I still have nightmares and am not sure we’ll ever return to a CEC.
Oh…and then this week? she pooped in the water park at Great Wolf Lodge. Thankfully not IN the water, but on her way to the bathroom. This girl is going to be the death of me!! I swear, she only has accidents at the most inopportune times/locations.
It is a dirty little secret … and my big ass won’t fit in those little tunnels!!