Pump it Up

Tomorrow is Mini-Me's pre-school graduation celebratory field trip. We're taking the 20 members of the junior kindergarden and the 10 students in the kindergarden to Pump it Up in Antioch for a morning of jumping and a luncheon of pizza and juice. Alex loves going there. Unfortunately, he also loves me doing all the jumpers with him so I don't know how well I will be able to stay in my supervisory role. On the other hand, we have never gone with friends so this time he'll have someone he knows (other than me of course) to play with.

Pump it up gives me a headache. In one room they have a giant slide, a small obstacle course and a basketball jumper. In the other room they have another obstacle course, a standard jumper and a big round one with with a mushroom like object in the midde which we generally use to play king of the hill. All these objects are powered by omnipresent blowers whining away. Then add 30 crazy kids running and playing and screaming and crying and laughing. And over it all plays an incessant form of muzak seemingly designed to do nothing but encourage you to leave the play area for some peace and quiet.

Yes, being a parent volunteer can be a pain, but it also has its advantages. You see, by helping out at the school, I get certain favors in return. For example, when I need Alex to stay later, or to be dropped off earlier, they can hardly refuse the parent who's there when they need an extra hand, which is something I will use of this Thursday when I have my arthrogram.