There were a ton of kids at the event and we were some of the last ones to get to tour the truck before they got a call they needed to respond too. I've never seen kids more upset than I did that day when the last few kids in line didn't get to tour the truck. I'm not sure if their parents or nannies really built up the event or what happened but their screams were heart wrenching. It made me feel bad since they weren't really pushing us through the tour very quickly. I was expecting Ada to jump in the truck, take a look around, and then jump back out. Instead, they loaded her in the back, then helped me and my big belly in. We sat down, asked some questions, hung out. Then our friend Elizabeth got in with her son Luke and our friend Sara's son Aaron. Then we got out and went to check out the hoses on the back of the truck. We posed for a few pictures and they got the call to leave with about a dozen kids still waiting on the sidewalk for their turn. We surely didn't need that much time in the truck and I didn't realize there were still so many kids behind us in line or we would have moved through more quickly. But I was really thankful that we got to tour the truck and that our kids enjoyed it -- and that I still fit in the back seat at 9 months pregnant.
As it turns out, the City of Chicago has a fire prevention program and the firemen do this a lot--for schools, block parties, special events, etc. They also invited us to stop by the firehouse anytime for another tour or to hang out. I think that's a better way to go when you've got little kids who aren't the best at waiting in line. Especially if they are really into fire trucks and firemen. I think some parents/nannies made the mistake of hyping up the event and then their kids were devastated when the turnout was so great that the fire department ran out of plastic fireman's hats and we had to break into three sections to do the tours and wait our turn. It was chaotic to say the least.
As always, I'm thankful that Ada was able to wait patiently and didn't spaz out when it was time to leave. We are so lucky to have such a laid back and easy going little girl. As I write that, she is yelling for her father to attend to her in the other room in a tone of voice that is impatient, insistent, and bordering on urgent. It's lunchtime and he isn't moving fast enough. You win some, you lose some.
Moral of the story: You can't control what happens in life, especially at big public events. If you know your child is really set on doing something specific at the event, be sure to explain what could go wrong and how they can prepare for that reality before you go. We don't always get what we want in life and that's a tough pill to swallow.
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