Perturbed Parents
Archive for the ‘family’ Category
Ask Shelby–Motivating My 9-Year-Old Son
July 16, 2013Sesame Place is OPEN!!!!
May 2, 2013Friday night, April 26th, I told my girls that if they cleaned up their toys really well, I had a surprise for them. The mad dash to put away every figurine, Lego, and book began! And then came the announcement… we were going to Sesame Place in the morning! I’m sure my neighbors appreciated the shrills that came out of my 4 year old and 2.5 year old. Pure joy. Melted my heart!
Saturday the 27th was our third visit to Sesame Place. If you’ve never been, you should know that this Langhorne, PA park is the nation’s only theme park based entirely on the award-winning television show Sesame Street. As seen on their Facebook page, Saturday was their Opening Day and the universe sure celebrated! We had a day of sunshine, light breezes, and about 70 degrees. It was beyond gorgeous! There were even people on the water rides! Season Pass holders proudly wore their lanyards around their neck. One woman I talked to in line for the Elmo Rocks show said she’s been coming to the park since it opened in 1980 and always attends on Opening Day!
The girls with Elmo |
I’m sure every year that same woman finds something new and exciting that the park has to offer. This year, Sesame Place is offering a star-studded concert line-up including kid-friendly favorites such as Laurie Berkner and Imagination Movers, to musical playdates with Caillou and Max & Ruby, the park’s event schedule is its most robust ever. Check out their calendar of events on the website www.sesameplace.com. Park guests will also notice quite a few changes in the culinary department for 2013. The park continues to enhance its menu of allergen-friendly foods and healthy-eating options for the comfort and satisfaction of park guests. Starting this season, Sesame Place will offer box lunches which must be purchased online, in advance, and picked up at Elmo’s Lunch Box Stop. The new Lunch Box program will give families more time to enjoy the attractions and shows in the park. In May, Sesame Place is also adding a food truck to its street, giving guests an even greater variety of quick-dining choices. We ate at Elmo’s Eatery and the children’s meals came with a plate and cup they got to take home. The girls love their souvenir! And I was pleased to learn I got a AAA discount on the meals too!
Other changes for 2013 include the park’s popular Fireworks shows, which will be enhanced by a newly-choreographed pyrotechnics display. Fireworks are scheduled for 5/26, 7/4 and 9/1 and 12/31.
“At Sesame Place, we are all about celebrating, and we’re doing a lot of things in 2013 to celebrate our guests,” says Susan Godfrey, Communications Manager at Sesame Place. Visitors can be spotted wearing their new “Today I’m Celebrating…” stickers all throughout the park. “Some people are here for their birthday, while others may be celebrating their first roller coaster ride, visit to the park, last night’s Phillies’ win, or even just a sunny day,” continues Godfrey. “Every moment of celebration — it’s all important to us here at Sesame Place,” she adds. My youngest daughter wore one to celebrate her first birthday. Elmo must have a special place for babies turning one, because after the group shot I took of him with the girls, he came over to her in the stroller and held hands with the baby and the two “bonded” for several minutes. Wish I took video of it, I was just so star struck!
Watching the Elmo Rocks! Show, proudly wearing her “I’m Celebrating…” sticker. |
There is still time to purchase a 2013 Season Pass. Sesame Place season passes start at under $100, making the park one of the area’s best entertainment values. Guest can take advantage of Sesame Place’s new six-month EZ pay plan for 2013 and enjoy unlimited fun all season along with in-park discounts for as low as $16.17 per month. Explore all the park’s ticket options by visiting Sesame Place Ticketing Information.
Twirling, dizzy, giggly FUN! |
Sesame Place is great for children of all ages. The Vapor Trail roller coaster is for ages 3 and up. My 4 year old LOVED it, which surprised me, in a good way! My 2 year olds favorite ride, she says, was Elmo’s World’s Flying Fish. My favorite was Grover’s World Twirl. Nothing like spinning super fast and watching my two giggly girls smile ear to ear while they cling to me. It was just such an awesome day. So much fun and such wonderful memories made. I love to know we had a wonderful day that EVERYONE enjoyed- my mother, myself, and my 4, 2.5, and 1 year old daughters.
*Disclosure: I received 4 complimentary tickets in order to facilitate this review. The opinions in this review are all my own.
Ask Shelby: Holiday Commitment Overload
November 28, 2012Between my parents, my sister and her family, my in-laws and my husband’s cousins who live an hour away, our holidays are filled with too much traveling, hosting and trying to make everyone else happy. I would love to spend Christmas day at home with just my husband and kids, but I know it would kill my parents, as they expect to be invited for breakfast and gift opening, and my in-laws expect us for dinner at their house later that same day. What can I do to satisfy everyone?
Signed, Overextended
My one word answer is this: nothing. You cannot satisfy everyone. And I strongly suggest you stop trying. I do believe there is a way to honor and respect your family relationships while still establishing some boundaries around your core family time.
The simplest and most dramatic way to accomplish this is to go away for the holidays. Travel with your husband and kids to a destination far away where you can relax and enjoy the holiday together. Plan to celebrate with various family members on a few select days before and/or after the trip. People may respond with shock, hurt, jealousy, excitement or well wishes. Let them have their reactions. Those reactions belong to them and it is their responsibility to deal with their feelings, not yours. As long as you are open to creating space for them in your schedule to celebrate, you don’t have to over-function to make sure they are totally pleased in every way.
You can also stay in town, designate Christmas as a day of no visits, and schedule celebrations on other days with family members. Again, people may respond with shock, hurt, jealousy, excitement or well wishes. Let them have their reactions. Those reactions belong to them and it is their responsibility to deal with their feelings, not yours.
I want to give you, and everyone else, permission to set boundaries. It is okay to slow down, say no, and get creative. Maybe you see your husband’s cousins in January, after the rush, to extend the fun even longer. Maybe you host everyone at your house for one big dessert party, and stop running from house to house making sure everyone gets a piece of you. If people can’t make the party, it’s okay to not see them until after the holidays are over. Healthy people will express all kinds of feelings about your boundaries, but at the end of the day, they will accept and love you, even if they are disappointed. Unhealthy people will express all kinds of feelings, too, but they may try to punish you or guilt you into changing your plans to accommodate their wishes. Don’t accept that guilt. It is an ugly gift that you should immediately place on the ground and walk away from. No one needs to pick it up and deal with it—it can just sit there, unattended forever.
I wish you a wonderful, rich, and balanced holiday season, filled with many “No’s” because you intentionally decided what to say “Yes” to,
Shelby
Shelby Riley, LMFT is the owner of Shelby Riley, LMFT and Associates, LLC. She is currently the President of the Pennsylvania Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (PAMFT). Remember to check out Shelby’s website www.shelbyrileymft.comfor useful information about therapy for individuals, couples, and families.
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