We're taking Jackson on his first trip to New York and as usual I've done no advance preparation. I know that children are allowed to live in New York City, and that during the winter months they're sequestered in large brick buildings called "schools," but what happens to them in the summer months? Do you just hand them a wrench, point to the nearest fire hydrant, and say, "Be home when the streetlights come on"?
Or do you hastily buy a magazine in the airport and say, "Look, sweetie! The Museum of Natural History has an exhibit called, "Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids"!
Child: "I don't really like dragons."
You: "Oh."
Child: "But I am interested in mythical creatures."
You: "How OLD are you? You can't even read yet and you're all Look at my fancy vocabulary!"
Child, humiliated: "I'm sorry."
You: "Don't let it happen again. Here's a wrench."
Kidding! I would never humiliate my child, I'll leave that to society and his first couple of girlfriends*.
Anyway, on the other, the travel plans -- my husband grew up in New York, I'm sure we'll find lots of fun, legal activities that minors can be smuggled into.
* At six years old my son appears to be really, really straight. I just felt like I needed to say that.
