We hit the park last night after Orange Leaf. It was wild with kids and parents. I sat my bike down and moved Maria’s and Mario’s to the side and looked up to find this:

I could look at the fact that Mario is climbing up the slide and Maria is climbing on the outside of the enclosed slide as an indication that my kids are unique and adventurous and ready to buck the “establishment”…or is it that they are just disruptive and rebellious?!

I’ll side with the former based on precedent. They have always, since babies, avoided “the flow” and mapped their own course. It can be frustrating at times like when I was at a birthday party for Maria’s friend and all the girls were jumping around and being silly and Maria opted to take care of the friend’s baby sister the entire party because she was crying from the lack of attention or when Mario and I went to the library and all the kids gathered around to hear stories but Mario found a steep ramp to practice air leaps.

Importantly, they remain thoughtful while mapping their own course. Mario made sure no one was sliding down when he climbed up the slide (and it only takes the monkey about three seconds to make the ascent). And Maria helped a toddler girl who fell from the slide by jumping down and brushing off her knee and patting her back.

So, I will embrace their unique and adventurous personalities … as long as they keep that kind spirit, too.