It’s no wonder they don’t want to leave!

Today, I’m a Contributing Writer over at Mile High Mamas, which is the parenting blog for The Denver Post!

I’m really excited about this opportunity! So, feel free to mosey on over there and check it out! And, if you do, please leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Here’s a sneak peek of the writing piece:

It’s no wonder they don’t want to leave!
By Momma, The Casual Perfectionist
As Featured at Mile High Mamas

Momma writes at The Casual Perfectionist, and just like the name indicates, she is an admitted perfectionist, but she’s trying to be casual about it. She and her husband have a 3-year-old girl named Claire. Momma is a firm believer in the fact that if you haven’t laughed today, you weren’t really paying attention.

One of our favorite places to play is a local play-area at a Rec Center near us. The indoor play-structure was built with a tree house theme in mind, and all of the tunnels stretch out above the room, like the branches of a tree. It’s great because the parents can stand or sit down below and chat while their kiddos crawl through miles and miles of tubing above. There are many different compartments, most all with windows overlooking the room below. There are different slides throughout so that you can easily get down…only to run around like a crazy person on the squishy floor of the play area and climb the spiral stairs up again.

Claire and I have been here many times. Our Moms’ Club meets there on occasion (more now, in colder weather, since meeting at a park to play is so nice-weather-dependent). It’s great to meet my friends and chat while Claire plays with the friends she knows in the group and meets new friends who happen to be playing there that day as well.

But, it wasn’t always like this.

At first, Claire didn’t want anything to do with the looming structure. The stairs were too enclosed, and the tunnels too confining, and she’d get three steps up and start crying for me. The whole thing turned into more of a stressor than a playful relaxing time, so I opted not to go to the playdates at the center. Our group has so many activities during the week that it was fine to pick and choose.

Eventually, we started going again. Claire started getting more and more comfortable with going up the stairs into the structure by herself, and the more she did it, the more confident she became. Sometimes she’d venture out on her own, and sometimes all it took was an older or more confident explorer to say, “Hey! Come play with me!” and off they’d go.

And, now, we’ve reached a new level…. READ ON…