Unwritten rules...

Today we visited with some great friends at the splash park. It was such a lovely day outside, the quintessential Indiana summer day (before the dog-days set in). The girls had a really good time, and so did I, until about ten minutes before we were to leave...

There are some unwritten rules about going out in public with children. Some that people never tell you... For instance, when you bring a sweet, like a lollipop, bring enough for every child at the venue (which Jenni did because she is fabulous, and obviously knows the rules). Here are some others:

- When you plan to leave the venue, subtract 15 minutes. That way you get out prior to the "we've stayed far too long" meltdowns.
- ALWAYS bring two drinks for each child (and a flask for you). When the first is gulped at the onset, you have a spare for later...
- Regardless of how many times you went to the bathroom before you left, any child between the ages of 3 and 5 will need to go as soon as you reach the venue.
- Everyone else's lunch is better than the one you've made, it doesn't matter that you cut off the crusts.
- The longer you are there the stronger the chance that someone will get a cut, scratch, gash... BRING a band-aide or four.
- That fluid streaming from the swim diaper is probably not water if your child has not actually been submerged, they don't absorb...
- Yes, you really should wait after applying sunblock. Don't put it on and then send your kids into the pool- sort of defeats the purpose, but we all do it...

There are so many... Some seem like common sense, but clearly when you have children common sense is at a minimum and lessens with each child. These are things that even the wisest, most experienced parents have to learn as they go. I'm just lucky that I have so many girlfriends who are learning right alongside me, and we can laugh (and cry) about it together!

For another laugh, here's a writer who has some unwritten rules on baseball and life. I thought it was funny. Hope you do, too.