“It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his talents and capacities.” — Eric Hoffer
At the dawn of the 21st century, we found ourselves as American expats in central Paris. One beautiful winter afternoon, I secured my four-year-old son into his stroller and took him down the elevator of our modern apartment building in the 16th arrondissement.
Stepping into the brisk air, we wandered along the cobblestone streets, surrounded by outdoor cafes, boulangeries, and patisseries. Our goal was a quaint little park with a playground just a ten-minute stroll away. Paris is filled with small parks, ensuring that urban life doesn’t feel suffocating.
My son was bundled up in a warm parka and a beanie, with a wool scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. Given France’s mild winters, we didn’t need any heavier gear.
To our delight, the park was all ours that afternoon. I unpacked our crispy Swiss and tomato-filled baguettes from the local boulangerie along with some Vittel bottled water. We enjoyed our lunch picnic-style on a park bench, watching the world go by and taking a much-needed break from the city hustle. This was long before smartphones, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company.
After lunch, I settled onto a bench with a suspense thriller, while my little adventurer played on the jungle gym. I kept glancing up from my book to check on him. About twenty minutes in, I spotted him struggling with his scarf, which had gotten snagged on the equipment.
I jumped up, raced to him, and quickly untangled the scarf from the playground structure. Thankfully, he was unharmed, but the scare served as a wake-up call. I later learned that French schools prohibit scarves because of the dangers they pose on playground equipment — a rule that wasn’t common in the States back then.
Takeaway
This experience highlighted the importance of being mindful about children’s clothing, as items can easily get caught on playground equipment or in doors. It’s advisable for young children to steer clear of clothing with drawstrings at the neck, such as scarves, hoodies with strings, and mittens with strings. Instead, opt for neck warmers and mitten clips. Parenting is challenging, with numerous factors to consider while raising kids. Fortunately, there are many aspects we can control.
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Summary
During a winter outing in Paris, a frightening incident occurred when my son’s scarf got caught on playground equipment. This experience taught me the importance of being cautious about children’s clothing to prevent accidents. It’s crucial to avoid clothing with drawstrings for young kids, opting instead for safer alternatives. Parenting is complex, but there are ways to mitigate risks.
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