The 4th of July is no longer fun for me anymore. Living in Southern California fireworks are restricted. Because we live in a high fire zone AND a “high” “drunk” “idiotic” zone. So handing them minor explosives isn’t logical!
But we USED to. When I was growing up in Burbank I clearly remember the adults gathering in the street and setting fire to spinners and all sorts of firecrackers. Every kid had sparkler after sparkler. All writing our names in the air. And the big finish was some concoction in a coffee can set alight under the street light. A giant gush of colored flame would stream up trying to get bright enough to trigger the street light to click off.
By the time I was in high school. All that was over.
It wasn’t until my then husband (now Ex) and I took our children to visit his family in Wisconsin that I got to play with fireworks again. We timed the trip to include his family reunion and 4th of July. So I could give to my kids a little of the childhood I had.
What I didn’t realize was that at 3 & a half and 1 & a half, my kids were too young to be playing with sparklers and too ADHD to care about fireworks. (My youngest was barely a glimmer of thought at that time) My in-laws must have thought I was a crazy mother. And looking back I sometimes wonder if THAT’s why first born children often mature faster than their siblings. They HAD to because their parents were “learning” on THEM!
I “learned” that 3 year olds will NEVER find the concept of sparklers fun or not painful. And I “learned” not to let a kid with ADHD run around a Fireworks tent as it is NOT childproofed. Luke ran straight between two clothed areas, completely NOT seeing the bar that joined them. Head first into the bar, poor boy. Lucky he’s got a hard head.
My Ex learned that if you pose a 1 year old on steps for a picture, do NOT step out of arms reach to take the shot. He WILL step toward you and go head over heals down the steps to skid mark HIS head on the cement. My poor baby. Again, lucky hard head.
Two years ago the kids & I (and the Ex who was still married to me) went to Arcadia to enjoy fireworks at a friends. By this time the kids were 11, 9 & 7 and MUCH more able to enjoy the spectacle. Although my auditory sensitive oldest had a harder time of it. So while they haven’t had as many 4th of July experiences as I growing up.. they have had some.
This year I don’t have them for the holiday. Which is almost relaxing. I’m lucky I’m not going into the office, although I’m sure I’ll do some work on the computer sometime today. And seeing fireworks is fun but its also money &/or a pain in the ass to try and arrange. I’m just as happy sitting in Sex God’s apartment, naked, watching a movie & eating ice cream.
The freedom to eat Ice Cream… naked… that’s my idea of Independence!