Our days are busy. My attention is divided among so many things but at the very least divided between two kids. In a perfect world everyone gets the attention and one-on-one time with me that they deserve each day but if I'm being honest it just doesn't always happen. We're all doing the best that we can when it comes to quality time but I knew my little one was due for some time away with just he and I. A trip to Hershey was going to be a part of it and we were both thrilled. We created a daily countdown and left secret notes for each other like "I can't wait - only three more days" which only added to our anticipation.
I knew we would have so much time together but I didn't realize how great it would be for both of us and how much we BOTH needed it.
YES!
I could say YES! A lot. and it felt amazing. Can we ride the bumper cars next? Yes. Can we stop for a snack? Yes. Can we go on that ride next? Yes. With no other sibling there to share the choices, I could say yes, yes and yes again. Sometimes when we hit an amusement park as a family the decision-making and the agenda-making with more than one child can be...exhausting but playing at Hersheypark with just one kiddo left room for a whole lot of yes which meant a whole lot more fun.
Really listen
Whether it was listening to him recall the ride he just went on or to talk about his new favorite video game, I found I could listen without distraction that I didn't even know was there before. No one was interrupting him or vying for my attention. We went on rides and played -a LOT but we also had time to chat and that meant time for him to be heard.
Rides that are Just Right for a Hershey Bar.
Hersheypark has a fun measuring system for determining which rides are right for the size of each rider. Visitors can get "measured" to determine what size they are and what rides they can ride and each measurement is a type of fun Hershey candy. This year my kiddo was a Hershey Bar and because it was just the two of us, we could spend the day riding rides that were just right for him. He could easily choose which ones were ok for him AND could pick which level of thrill he wanted to enjoy without having to compromise with his big brother. There was plenty for him to do and he loved riding some of his favorite rides over and over. He found just the right amount of excitement, all day long.
We Could Hit the Breaks
We all have different tolerance levels, right? How far we can walk or when we need to stop a take a break. Spending time at Hersheypark playing and adventuring is no different and there are plenty of places to stop a take a rest. It sometimes gets tricky with more than one child, though, yes? One is ready to stop and the other one is mentally planning out his next 3 rides. It was so great to be able to stop and take a quick break or check-in whenever my kiddo needed it. We could refuel (with some chocolate, naturally) and plan out what we'd do next and what we enjoyed so far.
Memories.
Because it was just the two of us, we enjoyed SO many rides and attractions and games together. That meant that we laughed and laughed and swapped stories and made so many memories together. It's priceless really. I'm so glad to have so many pictures of our day and each one triggers a SWEET memory of a day that connected us even further. The memories are ones we won't forget.
We received complimentary admission to Hersheypark and meals to facilitate our review but all opinions are my own.
