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April 15, 2013 by: Shell

Too Old for the Playground?

“Mom,” he said, sitting down beside me on the park bench. “I think I might be too old to be here.”

Too old for the playground?

“Mom, all these kids are so little. Maybe the playground is too small for me.”

And I looked around, really looked. And even though we were on the “big” playground, most of the other kids were his brothers’ ages or even younger.

So is 8 too old for the playground?

My 8 year old, whose socks I often get confused with my own. Whose head reaches above my shoulder these days.

Hubs and I were talking about how much we love our neighborhood elementary school and how we wouldn’t want our boys to have to go anywhere else- and then realized that our 8 year old only has three more years there and then he’ll be in middle school.

The shows his brothers watch are too babyish for him.

And he wants to do so much on his own. And he’s able to do so much on his own.

He’s not the chubby-cheeked little guy who held my hand on the walk to his first day of preschool any more.

He’s tall and confident and ready to try all kinds of new things.

It’s all going too fast.

Soon, he will be in middle school. He will be taller than me. He’ll cringe at the thought of holding my hand where his friends can see.

playgroundBut for now- he’s only eight.

And while eight isn’t a baby boy any more, it’s still young enough to to try to swing high enough that his feet can touch the sky. To zoom down a slide. To be the king of the monkey bars. To run and play. To be carefree.

To hold on to childhood just a little bit longer.

 

Things They Can’t Say: Out of the Mouths of Babes
Pour Your Heart Out: Maybe Someday

Comments

  1. JDaniel4's Mom says

    April 15, 2013 at 8:09 am

    My nephew is 12 and he played with JDaniel on a playground like this during Spring Break.

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:46 am

      That is so sweet! 

  2. Alison says

    April 15, 2013 at 8:44 am

    8 seems so big to me, since my boys are so young. How do they grow so fast?

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:47 am

      It seems big when I compare him to my nieces and nephews or even to his youngest brother. But on its own, 8 is still a little boy. 

  3. Krystal says

    April 15, 2013 at 8:50 am

    I know what you mean. I look at mine and they are at so many different stages of childhood. My oldest daughter is so intent on growing up. She’s 11 and says, “I’m not a kid anymore mom!” and its scary to see how much she is growing up…but, she LOVES the playground. There is no age that is too old for the playground in my opinion. Children are children and we should let them grow up at their own pace. Letting them run and swing and climb, even if they are 8 or 13. So what?!  He’s an adorable little boy…let him continue to reach for the sky 🙂

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:47 am

      I hope it takes a long time for mine to think they are too cool for the things of childhood. It all goes way too fast. 

  4. Kim@Co-Pilot Mom says

    April 15, 2013 at 9:03 am

    I had a similar experience last fall with my 8 year old. We went to a playground we hadn’t visited in a while and I was stuck by how small the equipment looked next to him. I remembered when it used to be a challenge, and here he was this big, confident boy. It goes so fast. 

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:48 am

      Yes- being able to sit and watch instead of worrying that they’ll fall because it’s too big for them. It’s such a change. 

  5. Cynedra says

    April 15, 2013 at 9:48 am

    My second grader and soon to be 8 year old looks like he is about 4. He plays with his 5 almost 6 year old brother and doesn’t look out of place at all. He still likes the childish shows his brother watches and seems to enjoy them. After before school violin lessons, he has me walk him to class holding his hand while his little brother runs off to the school cafeteria by himself to have a second breakfast. I love that he still wants to be with me, but I worry about him as well. I’m not sure which is better, a child who is a bit more independent or one that still is willing to be with their mommy.

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:49 am

      I’d say enjoy it now! It all goes so fast. 

  6. Natalie says

    April 15, 2013 at 9:50 am

    I am like Alison and 8 seems old but that’s b/c my babies are so little!  I’m sure when my boys reach that age I will be thinking the same as you!

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:49 am

      And when I compare my boys to their baby cousins, mine do seem so old! But on their own, they’re still little boys. 

  7. Kmama says

    April 15, 2013 at 9:59 am

    I’m right there with you.  Jack has matured so much (SO MUCH!) in the past few months, especially after Luke was born.  It’s like he’s not even the same kid anymore.  He often gives me the look when I suggest that he might do something that he feels is too “babyish.”  They can’t grow up!!

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:50 am

      Oh I bet- especially in comparison to a new baby! 

  8. AnnMarie says

    April 15, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Oh, my friend…I hate to say, “Welcome to my world,” but I remember those feelings of your baby not being your baby anymore. I miss Nico and Tommy being 8 and the days of the biggest problems being wanting to eat ice cream for breakfast and me saying no. And the height thing…nothing like looking up at your kid while yelling at him. 🙂

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 10:50 am

      I feel like time is going waaaay too fast. 

  9. NJ @ A Cookie Before Dinner says

    April 15, 2013 at 10:55 am

    I wonder about this often, when it will happen to us. My son is almost 4 and so playgrounds are THE WORLD to him right now. On one hand, I know it will happen someday- that he’ll feel like going to the playground isn’t cool anymore. But on the other, he’ll always know (just like I do) that swings are magical.

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      I still love the feeling that being on the swings gives me… as long as there aren’t any littles around who might run in front of the swings! 

  10. momof12 says

    April 15, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    You are never too old for the playground! Even my older kids love to swing and squeeze themselves down the slide. Let him be little as long as he wants to be.
    Sandy

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      I hope mine will keep that childhood spirit for a lot longer. 

  11. ilene says

    April 15, 2013 at 2:10 pm

    I took my kids to the park last week and my oldest – who is 9 – told me she was bored! She even had a friend there to hang out with.   It made me kind of sad. 

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 7:30 pm

      🙁 They grow too fast! 

  12. Jennifer says

    April 15, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Poor boy. Eight is not too old. I think that he was probably just outnumbered that day. Next time will be different.

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 7:30 pm

      That’s true. He’d feel differently if we’d been there when there were more kids there his age. And there usually are. This was like invasion of the preschoolers. 

  13. Emmy says

    April 15, 2013 at 4:39 pm

    I definitely don’t think 8 is too old for the playground.  Now the last time when we went and there was a group of a 11-year-old girls ruling the roost- yea I was thinking they were too old.

    It is so weird to think that they will so soon be in middle school.  My son got invited to a friends birthday party that ends at 8:45 and is so excited that he gets to stay up past his bedtime..I know all too soon he will be wanting a later bedtime and I am so not ready for that as I love bedtime and my evenings with just my husband, but they just keep getting older on us. 

    • Shell says

      April 15, 2013 at 7:32 pm

      It’s so hard to pinpoint that age when it’s suddenly too old. I think a lot has to do with behavior. Older kids can be just fine as long as they are being careful and respectful around the littles. 

      I love that nighttime with my husband, too. Bedtime has already been moved to 8 in our house when it used to be 7. And this feels late enough! 

  14. Mary @ A Teachable Mom says

    April 15, 2013 at 10:09 pm

    I can’t believe how quickly they grow up. Ugh. My 9 yo is almost as tall as I am (which isn’t saying much, but still ;-)) and looks so big next to the playground equipment. Thankfully, she still loves to play at the playground, just not for the hours she used to love it. Lovely post, Shell.

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      Yes- boredom sets in much quicker now! 

  15. Kimberly says

    April 16, 2013 at 2:17 am

    Time just slips away from us all too quickly. My son is going to be 13 tomorrow. I wish that he was still 8 again. It’s still young, there’s still a part of childhood left.

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      Oh my. 13. That just sounds so grown! 

  16. bluecottonmemory says

    April 16, 2013 at 11:22 am

    I miss those hand-holding, playground days with my boys:) Yet – how awesome when they are confident enough, ready enough to grow beyond!!!

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      It really is bittersweet! 

  17. Jen says

    April 16, 2013 at 3:33 pm

    My oldest being 8… I can totally relate. 

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      it seems so grown up compared to the babies they used to be- but it can still be such a little kid, too. 

  18. Kimberly says

    April 16, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    Yeah, my oldest are almost 9 and they still like going to the park but once we’re there I can tell they’re outgrowing it. One of them quickly gets bored and it’s just not the same as it used to be.

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:28 pm

      Nope- it’s not as fun. 🙁

  19. Carolyn Y says

    April 16, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    I’ve started noticing, in the little things, how Julia (5) is growing up.
    Her “shows” and movie choices are older.
    Her clothe choices, she now decides what she’ll wear (help me during the teen years!)
    The books she likes, and so on.
    Wow, it’s all going too fast. Way to fast.

    • Shell says

      April 16, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      I’ve noticed a change with all of mine with their shows. They appreciate more mature humor instead of the basic baby laughs. 

Welcome to Things I Can't Say: Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom. I'm Shell. Boy mom, beach girl, bookworm, ball games, baker, brand ambassador, Thinking yoga, food, and travel should start with "b," too. Finding the easiest way to do some things while overthinking so many others. Read More…

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