Sunfari

Detours and OnRamps:
A Forum on Issues Facing Mothers in the Workplace

Sunfari

I have a confession: I am a total sucker for novelty pools. This is a bit at odds with the rest of my purchases because in general, I’m pretty cheap. I only buy stuff on sale, I love bargains, and all that.

But now for the third year in a row I have been lured by the picture on the box of the family of 6 having the TIME OF THEIR LIVES in their blow up pool, in the backyard. I am a smart person, I have an MBA in marketing, I know in my head that literally, a family cannot even FIT in a blow up pool that size--much less cavort and laugh and make the memories that the family on the box in the Target were making.

Last year’s item, with a slide and a giraffe that supposedly shot water, was a huge disappointment. First off, it was purchased prior to our purchase of an inflator (which I actually bought because I thought it would blow up bike tires, it doesn’t). So Aunt Kate had to single-handedly blow up the slide part while I used a hair dryer on the pool part’s bigger nozzle. And within 4 days Emma was bored—because it didn’t really work right, then it got holes, then we had only the slide and like 50 rules about when it could be used—SO not the amount of fun pictured on the box. I kept the slide without the pool through fall when my mom came and just threw it away one day.

So I was resolved that this year we’d just suck it up with the old pool left over from 2 years ago which yes, has holes, but still stays inflated for a little bit. Then I saw the SUNFARI.

It is so sweet. As I was blowing it up with all 3 gathered around me (in barely 70 degree weather, wearing swim suits) I KNEW I had hit the motherlode. It has a slide that is part of the pool (thus it works properly); it has an elephant ring toss, basket dunks, TWO areas of pool (wading and larger size)—it is so sweet that I know it will inevitably pop in 2 days. But our family will DEFINITELY have the amount of fun on that box in those 2 days.

I’m always on the hunt for that elusive toy or game that will entertain and delight all three—so I don’t have to be ON 24-7! When I heard Emma reading to the twins one day I thought I was almost there, off the hook on countless Elmo renditions—but she’s not quick enough for them (because she’s 3 and can’t ACTUALLY read) so no dice. But I think I may be close with the pool-o-fun. I obviously can’t leave them in the backyard and go drink margaritas. But at the very least maybe I can catch up with a book while they shoot ring-tosses at the elephant noses…please, just 5 minutes of me time that I am watching them but still doing something I want to!

At least for 2 days before it pops.

Meghan’s Blog

Monday, May 7, 2007