McPlayground

I'll admit it, and I'm not ashamed to, that I take my kids to McDonald's every so often and we all LOVE it. I mean what's not to love, famous fries with unlimited ketchup, free refills at the soda station, a little toy and a newly remodeled indoor playground.

One day I'm going to write a book all about my experiences at the McDonald's playground. I've met some serious characters at my local Mickey D's playground.

Like the lady who told me all about her husband's severe ADHD, what a hard time she had getting pregnant with her only daughter named Autumn (yup, I remember the kids name- occupational hazard) and that they live in Annapolis about a mile past the mall.

Another time I sat next to a grandma, who was there with her grand-daughter, who told me all about how her husband's company lost a lot of his business (snow removal and landscaping) because of "those Mexicans."

The Dad who spilled an entire chocolate milk on himself, flipped out and yelled out loud, "Oh shit!" It probably happened because he was totally ignoring his 18 month old son who just sat and watched his Dad as he played with his blackberry.

The parents or grandparents who tell other people's "big" kids that they need to be careful of their "little" kids or the parents who climb into the playground with their kids for fear the child will be scared or worse stuck in the playground.

The best part is the hand sanitizer dispenser in the playground room, cause ya know since your child just finished a well-balanced meal and their feet aren't sticking to the floor, hand sanitizer is the thing that will save the day! Or the Moms I saw once that brought in their reusable nalgene's filled with water to go with their happy meals.

The Dad behind me today who's perfectly behaved child ate all his apples (which now come standard in a happy meal). Then the kid asks, "When it's time to go will it be naptime?" This kid didn't even whine or ask to go on the germy jungle gym.

Then there's me. I'll pretty much engage anyone in a conversation at the Golden Arches. My kids are usually those kids in the playground screaming, running and playing, laughing- you know pretty much doing what you'd expect kids to do in an indoor, fast food restaurant playground. I do occasionally call them back to the table and reprimand them. "Stop yelling so loud! SLOW down!" I do chase them if they climb up the slide, cause I hate that. Slides weren't named slides because you can climb on them. All the while I sit at the table continually refill my soda and hot mustard dipping sauce and polish off not only my extra value meal but whatever is left of the happy meals I ordered. They. really just want the stinkin toy!

So all in all, I'd highly recommend a trip to the local McDonald's playground it's fun for the whole family!