THE Carnival

Last weekend we took the kids to a little street carnival that was, in reality, a parking lot carnival because we live in suburbia, and god forbid we close a street once a year for our children's entertainment. Anyway, the carnival was as one would expect a carnival to be. Low rent and totally enthralling to the 2-4 year old set. Lights flashing, music blaring, rides, um, being ridden, etc.

After a quick survey it was decided that there were three rides we would permit the children to ride. A big slide, an airplane ride and a horse and carriage type thing. The horse ride was, by far, the most tame. It was simply a few knee high horses with small seats behind them that all went in a circle. The slide required a climb (and an adult to slide with you if your name was Lucy. Wasn't expecting that one. I also don't think the crowd waiting below was expecting to see my underwear, but had I known I was going to be riding a giant slide maybe I would have worn something besides a gauzy, flowing skirt, you know?) And the airplanes went up and down, making it the most dangerous of carnival rides available.

So guess which one caught on fire while when we were next in line? The horses. It was easily contained by a fire extinguisher, and a few minutes later was back up and running. And guess which ride my children were simply dying to ride? The horses. We tried distracting them with the other rides, I flashed the crowds, and then we bought them some funnel cakes, but still they Wanted! The! Horses!

What would you do?

Although I know some of you will judge, I'll be honest and tell you that we let them ride the horses. We observed it for a few spins to make sure SOB could jump the fence in case the damn thing caught on fire again, and then we parked their little bums on some horses. Does that make us bad parents? They were so happy, and the peril factor was minimal. Don't sweat the small stuff, right?

But just in case you still think we're good parents, afterwards we let them throw darts at balloons.