Thursday

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You-The Ride




Hi, y'all! Welcome to Sincerely 'Fro Me to You! I'm happy you are here. You can read the guidelines here if you want to link up.

Last week before school started, we decided to have one last hurrah with our kids. I kept our destination a secret, but my hubby kept dropping clues. He had so much fun teasing them, which reminded me that the role of child #4 in our home, is currently being filled.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Once we arrived at ITZ, an indoor amusement park, my daughter headed straight for this ride:



We've driven by this place several times and my kids have dreamed about going into the fun-land. Once, we even got out and went inside only to discover that the entry fee was awholelottamoney. And then we left and went to see Chuck E. Because that's how our budget rolls.

But this, this was real. We were inside and my daughter (who has never actually ridden a roller coaster before) decided this was her day.

She paid and she got in line. We stood at the roped off area and watched her.

They opened the gate and the brave partakers grabbed a seat. My daughter sat down and clenched the hand-grips. I leaned over to my hubby.

"She doesn't look good."

"Oh, she's just nervous, she'll be fine," he replied.

As the employee walked around and made sure the seat belts were secure, my daughter started motioning frantically at us and shaking her head, 'no.'

"I've changed my mind," she whispered grimly. "I can't do this!"

I urged my hubby to go rescue her. He encouraged her and instead talked her into staying on the ride.

I didn't feel great about this. I'm all about conquering fears, but this ride spins around unmercifully and since my hubby barfs on these exact kind of rides, I'm thinking it could run in the family.

The ride started and the look of fear grew on my child's face. You know how most kids are afraid and then they do something and conquer their fear and are all the better for it?

Yeah, that wasn't happening.

She was looking green and frail and I started looking around for an umbrella.


She staggered off the ride and her eyes were full of tears. "That was horrible. I don't ever want to do it again," she said.

"Well, now you know," my hubby said, patting her on the back.

I hugged her and apologized for not getting her off that ride before it started. I felt really bad!

She looked at me and said, "Oh, no, Mom, I'm so glad I rode it. I'm just more glad that's over and that I'll never do it again. But now, I can say I did it."

And I could really relate. On so many different levels.


25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Help Kristen! My first link is accidentally to my Wednesday post (it was automatically in there from my WW) I went to click to my page to copy and paste the new URL and accidentally hit enter. Now I am up twice on Mr Linky, but 2 goes to my WW and 3 goes to my Fro Me To You post. Can you delete my first link (number 2 on your list)? I don't want people to miss the swim suit picture I posted!

D... said...

What an amazing girl you have there! I am done with spinning rides myself. I just Can.Not. handle them anymore.

Anonymous said...

My hero! You did it!! (thanks for deleting my extra link) Thanks a ton!!

I am so impressed with your daughter for getting on that ride. She is much braver than I am. I've had my share of a few rides similar that I instantly regretted and never got on again!

Happy Mommy said...

I can't believe your post is about a ride! Mine was too! We took Daisy on a "mini" roller coster in kiddy land, we it was not to kiddy! She was scared to death and I couldn't believe that we had just put our 3 year old daughter on that ride, I think I will keep in mind that just because she is 42 inches at 3 that she is only 3 and she is just way tall and way not ready for those rides! Sorry your girl was so scared!

Tammy said...

I can so relate. After my first ride on Disney's Tower of Terror, I swore I would never ride it again. However, when we took our kids for the first time they begged to ride it. Well, I certainly didn't want to be the wet blanket mom. We all got on it, survived and have sworn to NEVER ride it again.

This time, I mean it.

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

Good for her for having such a good attitude about it! Even if she never wants to ride it again she can say she tried it. THAT is heroic!

Valarie Lea said...

I am so glad that she made it through and did not lose her cookies. :) Like you Hubby said, now she knows. That place looks like so much fun. An indoor amusement park, I really did not know such things existed. Well except for Circus Circus in Las Vegas, but I have never been there and probably wont. :)

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

I was waiting for pix of puke THANK you so much for not having it there!

I've done this (often) to my kids..kinda of like "swim or sink" but w/out water!

Anonymous said...

Love the picture! We have this same ride locally and my kids ride it like it's nothing. I, on the other hand, have never been on it. Me and spinning things do NOT get along. I rode one spinning ride this year and had to go sit in the shade for about an hour. Hopefully your daughter learns better than I do!

Unknown said...

Your daughter is awesome.

I had a similar experience as a child on that dragon boat ride at the fair. But I wish my mom had been there to get me off of it before it started. I don't care if I can say I did it.

Suz Broughton said...

I am so happy I got myself together enough to get a post up. I have been wanting to do another for WEEKS (read: months).
I hope it qualifies as it is not a picture of me, but an embarrassing inscription in my sixth grade yearbook.

I did the same thing with my daughter and the Peter Pan ride. She cried the whole way. But she was glad she did it. I don't think I will EVER get her on it again.
Suz

The Apron Queen said...

Oh my. Poor girl. She was brave for toughing it out.

The Source said...

Aww...I hate that she didn't enjoy her ride...but how awesome that she had the guts to go for it anyway! At least she can say she didn't chicken out!

j said...

Bless her heart!! It's one of those crummy life lessons that all things aren't as great as they appear.

And I have to get some kind of motion sickness patch to be able tp go to theme parks now or I would be green the whole time.

Jen

Lisa said...

Oh that is great that your daughter has that spirit. she did it, didn't like it, but can be proud of herself for trying. I feel she is very proud of herself. I am glad your husband encouraged her instead of just taking her off the ride. Lesson well learned by all of us!! give them both a big hug!

Unknown said...

So glad she survived that! Wow, I bet your Mamas heart was wanting to rescue her badly!

Anonymous said...

We took my daughter there for her birthday. She opted not to ride! Yes, we had to eat somewhere else, too. My husband has a different name for this restuarant... it rhymes with ITZ.

Anonymous said...

What a wise daughter you have! I mean for her to realize that sometimes an experience is valuable because we can look back and say we did it! She was glad she did it even though she hated every minute of it. I have felt like that about stuff in my life too. Sometimes it's like...oh man that sucked, but it made me a stronger person, so I wouldn't change a thing.

There is a lesson in there somewhere...I am just not awake enough to articulate it. I could use a big glass of sweet tea about now!

littletoesandcheerios said...

Bless her heart. I would have stopped the ride and got her off of there!! My husband is just like yours. I guess sometimes they are right. Glad she's proud of conquering her fear. First of many,right?!

Anonymous said...

My 9 year old son felt the same way about Dr. Doom's Free Fall ride at Universal Studios this summer when his Grandma took him. But he rode it 9 times hoping that each time it would get better. Gotta love optimistic determination at an early age. Even now he says he doesn't want to do it again but he's sure glad he tried it! Blessings, Whitney

Crayl said...

It's hard to know when to encourage to stretch and when to grab a hold and protect. I am thankful for your sake that she didn't hurl.

Phone Photo Project by Kim said...

I really thought you were going to show a lovely throw-up photo. GLAD you didn't!

TJ said...

That is a wonderful way for your daughter to look at things! Some things aren't all that great but it's nice to say you did it!

lucysd13 said...

i feel the same way about roller coasters. its great she went through with it

Anonymous said...

Kristen Your story,Our story made me cry today. We are so blessed to have Jesus. Yes , He is such a treasure. Mom