What kind of mother would let her children drop from a height of 205 ft, at a 90-degree angle, falling at a rate of 75 mph? A mother who understands you can't hold on to your kids forever? One who believes your own fears should not become your children's fears? One who recognizes that kids need to be kids and sometimes that means taking risks? Yep. I'm that kind of mother, most of the time--okay, some of the time. I was definitely that kind of mom last week during Spring Break.
Spring Break. Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Va. Roller Coasters. Kids. Friends. Family. Fun. Fun. Fun.
We--make that the kids--came to ride roller coasters. They were on a mission, scoping out the specs by site as we made our approach. The steel blue structure of the Griffon loomed before us, towering above the treetops in the distance.
As we got closer, we could hear the clickity-clack of the coaster cars moving against the steel frame as the they inched their way up the track, then a hushed moment, pregnant with anticipation, followed by blood-chilling screams of fear? Joy?
When we entered the park, the kids weren't sure they'd ride every roller coaster, but after warming up on Da Vinci's Cradle they felt ready. Two days later, with more than a dozen coaster dives under their belts, my seasoned roller coaster riders left Busch Gardens empowered by their own fearlessness, confident and ready to take on the world, and pretty sure they could at least make it through the final nine weeks of school. Knowing our season Fun Card would get us back in throughout the summer didn't hurt either.
And now, the Video:
