The children struggle to agree on a show when they’re allowed the rare indulgence of TV in our house, so they take turns picking the show they will watch–usually from the Netflix “babies” channel I set up for them. There are a few shows that all 3 genuinely enjoy, however, and prominent on that short list is Wild Kratts. So, when I saw that its live show was coming to Atlanta a few months ago, I bought 5 orchestra level seats.
I kept the tickets a secret, including on the day of the event: Saturday the 31st. We went to the optometrist, the Warby Parker store, out to lunch at Shake Shack, on a tour of all 6 floors of the new Restoration Hardware, and then Cobb Energy Center for the big event. They knew they were getting to see or do something special, but they didn’t know what. The traffic backup consisting mainly of minivans and SUVs likely tipped them off that it was something children would enjoy.
My 6yo boy: Is it a sporting event?
Me: Nope.
6yo: A movie?
Me: Just wait and see!
When we found our seats, they looked at the large screen behind the stage in front of them.
the 8yo and 6yo: WILD KRATTS!
The show was great. During intermission, I even let them buy “creature power” vests and gloves. They loved every bit of it.
When we got home, they ran around in the back yard with their vests and gloves on until it was time to get bbq at Sam’s BB-1 (and they left their garb on for that, too).
When we got home, and I checked The Facebook, I noticed that 5 other attorneys I know had also taken their children to see Wild Kratts on Saturday. I thought this was indicative of my great taste in family activities. My bride–ever the anthropologist (but for a surprise pregnancy, she’d have a PhD in it)–pointed out that it makes sense that a group of trial lawyers (4/5 of whom represent plaintiffs) would spend $100+ to take their children to see the live performance of an educational TV show that originated on PBS. I still say I have good taste in family entertainment and that others want to follow my lead.
In any event, when I came home from work today, my son was wearing his blue “creature power” outfit that he’d worn to the kids’ play area at our gym after school and left on for an odyssey in the woods behind our house, trailed by Winnie the dog. His vest contained a disc featuring an animal he’d drawn on construction paper and cut out himself. It was either a squirrel or a T-Rex, I think. He ran up to the driveway as I pulled into the garage. He had a stick in his hand that was taller than he is and a grin that a more crass person than me would label “shit eating,” but I’d never use such a phrase to describe my only boy’s facial expression on a family-friendly website.
Him: Daddy? Thanks again for taking us to see Wild Kratts last weekend.
Then he ran toward the woods again.