Splash Into Family Fun

  
Splash into Family Fun
by DAN SAWYER
   My wife had a great idea. How about taking the kids out to dinner? She asked. I couldn’t think of a reason why not, but clearly I suffer from short term memory loss. Maybe it’s just one of those things that parents block out. When women give birth, they often say they don’t remember the pain being so bad. That’s kind of like going to dinner with kids. 
   What’s your favorite restaurant? She asked my daughter. I don’t want to give her favorite spot away but it’s got a big red chili just above the doorway. 
   We were seated in a booth with the four of us - me, my wife, my eighteen month old son and my three and a half year old daughter. This restaurant is prepared for kids and the waitstaff quickly handed out coloring books and crayons.
   My son and I were on one side of the booth, my wife and daughter on the other. I knew my son would be standing up within three minutes and pulling the hair extensions off the teenager sitting in the booth behind us, so my wife and daughter switched sides with us. Not thirty seconds went by. Then my daughter wanted to sit with daddy, so daddy moves to one side of the table and mommy moves to the other. Then after this fire drill, my daughter says she has to go potty. Daddy slides out, Mommy takes her to the ladies room and my son now starts screaming like a lost baby alligator, “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”  And we haven’t even placed our order yet.
   When the waitress came along to take our order for the sixth time, I tried to order drinks for the four of us. “Tequila!” I said. All around. 
   We ordered our meals and then my wife and I took turns walking around the outside of the building trying to distract my son from trying to get the attention of the other diners, while my daughter was distracted with her crayons.
   When the food came, my wife and I took turns trying to distract my son from trying to get the attention of the other diners, while my daughter was distracted with her crayons.
   Finally, my son gave us thirty seconds of quiet time and we all sat and enjoyed our special night out together. 
   My daughter was too busy coloring to eat. My wife asked her, “What makes this your favorite restaurant?” Without looking up from her coloring book she said. “The crayons.”
   A good rule of thumb for tipping is to take whatever amount you think is fair and then keep adding zeros. The waitress earned every penny.
   Looking for something to do this week with the family?
   Tomorrow or Sunday head to the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center from 2PM – 3PM for “Keeping Ships Safe.”  Join a Park Ranger from the Army Corps who will explain how they use radar and camera images are used to keep the Canal safe for navigation. The center is located at 60 Ed Moffet Drive in Sandwich and more information is available by calling 508-833-9678.
   Tuesday will bring us the annual Watershed Block Party at Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve from 3PM – 6:30 PM with activities for the entire family. Call WBNERR at 508-457-0495 for more information.
   For more Family Fun Events, visit www.FamilyFunNetwork.com. Questions or comments on this column? Email dan@FamilyFunNetwork.com.
  

    The other day I was with my daughter and I thought it would be a good time to teach her how to cross the street in a crosswalk. It’s really an ongoing process rather than a one time event, but I took the time to explain how the process works. I explained to her that just because we are in the crosswalk does not mean that the oncoming cars can see us or that they will stop, and that we need to be certain that it’s safe to cross before we step out into the street.
    We crossed back and forth three or four times for the sake of practice. We were in a well marked crosswalk in downtown Falmouth and we were very visible to oncoming traffic. It wasn’t a terribly busy area but there was enough traffic that my daughter got to see both kinds of drivers, the good ones and the ones that got their license at MegaMart. You know, the ones that could care less about a dad and little girl standing in the walk, waiting to cross. The ones who buzz by, blissfully unaware of anything going on outside of their little bubble. As much as I wanted to take off my shoe and gently bore it through their windshield to get their attention, I didn’t, and I realized that that was a lesson about self-control, one for another day.
    The drivers that stopped for us often had a baby seat in the back and I guessed that they had a good idea of what it’s like to try to safely cross a street with little ones. On occasion, there would be a monster truck that I figured would be likely to run us down, only I was pleasantly surprised to see them stop, smile and wave us on.
    Just as I had finished my lesson for the day and reminded her about the good drivers versus bad, we heard a loud screech follow by the sound of heavy metal objects coming in contact with one another. Someone had backed out of a parking space without looking and hit an empty parked car, which could just as easily have been a family practicing the art of negotiating their way through a parking lot.
    My wife assures me that this has always been going on, and that drivers are no less considerate today than they were a few years ago, but since we now have young children we notice it more. I don’t know if she’s right or wrong, but if you’re reading this, then you’re probably not in danger of running into flying sneakers at crosswalks.
    Please be safe. Be courteous, and take the time to teach your little ones about all types of drivers. I’m off to the MegaMart for a new box of shoes where they’re cheaper by the dozen.
    Looking for something to do this week with the family?
    Tomorrow at 1PM head to WBNERR, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, located at Route 28 in Waquoit, for Creatures of the Bay. This program is held every Saturday (unless there is rain), and includes hands-on exploration with an interpreter. Wear shoes that can get wet and be prepared to learn all about the creatures that share our water with us. Call 508-457-0495 for more information. 
    Circus Smirkus, Vermont’s award-winning youth circus, will be performing 6 performances at Heritage Museums and Gardens at 67 Grove St in Sandwich, on July 28th, 29th and 30th, with shows at 2PM and 7PM each day. Tickets can be purchased only by going to www.smirkus.org or calling 1-877-764-7587. Tickets cost $22 per adult, $18 per child. Children under 2 are free.
    For more family fun, visit www.FamilyFunNetwork.com  Questions or comments on this column? Email dan@FamilyFunNetwork.com.
   

Like many Cape Codders, we go to the beach quite a bit this time of year, often finding ourselves exploring the inlets and little hidden places where Cape Cod sea life lives. My daughter is full of questions that I can’t always answer, while my son wants to put everything in his mouth, dead or alive. I’m really not sure which is the better of the two.

            Daddy! Daddy! What’s this? What’s that? Daddy! Is that a fish? Does it bite? Daddy! Is that a crab hanging from my brother’s face? All great questions, and on occasion I might even be able to answer them honestly. Of course, what I don’t know I make up. It’s best not to show weakness in front of children. I won’t make that mistake twice.

            Thankfully, I may not have to make up my own facts any more, at least when it comes to critters of the sea. I just heard about a family program at Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary where people like me can learn about the tidal flats and how to identify creatures of our wetlands that leave twisting trails in the sand and how they live. And even more importantly, what kind of crustacean is my son putting in his sister’s bathing suit.

Looking for something to do this week with the family?

Tomorrow at 9AM head to Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary for Secrets of the Sands, a family program. You’ll discover the hidden life, creatures and secrets of the tidal flats. The Sanctuary is located in Cummaquid at 345 Bone Hill Road, off of Route 6A. It’s worth the trip, and if you can’t make it tomorrow, they have regularly scheduled tours, all at low tide of course. Cost is $6 per child, $8 per adult. (Mass Audubon members receive a discount). Call 508-362-7475 for tour times and other programs.

Looking for something to do that doesn’t cost a dime?

How about catching a performance by the Toe Jam Puppet Band? Tonight head over to Shawme Pond on Route 130 in Sandwich from 6:00PM – 7:30PM. Every Friday there will be a different show at the bandshell. For full details visit www.artsfoundation.org or call 508-362-0066.

On Tuesday head to the Wareham Free Library for an hour “Informance” concert performance for kids from 1PM – 2PM. The library is located at 59 Marion Road in Wareham. Call 508-295-6104 for more information.

On Wednesday from 10AM – 11AM head to the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center for “Canal Kids,” with a touch tank of marine life and lots of fun for the kids. Every Wednesday will be a “Canal Kids”drop in program with a different theme. For more information call 508-833-9678.

For more family fun, visit www.FamilyFunNetwork.com. Questions or comments on this column? Email dsawyer@FamilyFunNetwork.com

After last weekend, with cookouts and fireworks and more cookouts and more fireworks, I was hoping that this one would be a little less exciting. No such luck, but talk about a family fun event, The Cape Cod Children’s Museum in Mashpee is having a Military Appreciation Day on Saturday where you and the kids can thank our brave men in uniform for all that they do. As if that were not cool enough, you can get up close and personal with cool stuff like an actual Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter, a real HUMVEE, a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle to be more precise, along with other impressive military vehicles. No fancy paint jobs and shiny chrome wheels for these guys. This is the real deal. This is an event that will excite kids of all ages, and grown-ups too, as evidenced by the fact that I can’t wait for this.
       I was amazed when I learned the size of one of these Black Hawks. If I understand this correctly, they can carry up to 14 troops, are over sixty four feet in length, almost seventeen feet tall and have a rotor diameter of about fifty four feet. And as big as they are, these mighty machines, with about 1800 horsepower, will cruise at over 170 miles per hour. And I thought I paid a lot at the pump. I hope these helicopters come with a Mobile Speed Pass.
       My wife Nancy and I will be there for the event, and if she can keep me out of the Black Hawk long enough, we’ll be manning our FamilyFunNetwork table and giving away some freebies. Stop by and say hello.

If I have convinced you that playing poker is the way to building your families wealth, than I invite you to join me at The Trowbridge Tavern on Friday, May 30^th.

The Cape Cod Children’s Museum is holding it’s second annual No limit Texas Hold’em Fundraiser at The Trowbridge Tavern, Bourne. Registration is from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The tournament beginning at 7:00 p.m. Registration fee/Donation is $50 for players and $15 for non-playing guests. Prizes will be awarded to the winning players and there will be Entertainment provided by Sawyer Sound. And if that’s not enough to convince you, there will be free food too!

Call the Children’s Museum to register 508-539-8788 or just show up Friday evening for a fun filled evening at the Trowbridge Tavern, 100 Trowbridge Rd., Bourne 02532.

It’s for a great cause. You’ll have a fun night out and if you play your cards right, you just might be well on your way to your family’s financial freedom, or at least a few hundred dollars extra cash in your pocket.

I’m a father of two young children here on Cape Cod. My wife and I have a three year old daughter and a son that just turned one. I’ve been writing about my wife and kids and family stuff quite a bit lately, which is entirely appropriate for the Splash into Family Fun Column that runs every Friday in the Enterprise Newspapers, But I think it’s time to switch things up a little. I feel the need to write about guy stuff, or at least dad stuff, something with a little more testosterone.  

Women have their mom’s clubs but I haven’t heard much about a dad’s club. I don’t know what goes on at these mom’s club meetings. My wife tells me it’s all about how to be a better mom. They talk about issues they face every day as parents with small children, what to make for dinner that kids will actually eat and what playgroups to join. I’m thinking about something similar for dads. We’ll tackle the tough questions like how to brew your own beer, saving your household thousands of dollars each year. We’ll address topics like how to build your family’s wealth by playing poker, and maybe we’ll have demonstrations on how to grill the perfect steak over an open fire or hold discussions on the pros and cons of gas vs. charcoal.

Guys? Are you with me? Moms… any of you want to get rid of your husbands for a night every now and then?