Tilt Ma World

Merry-go-rounds, Sit 'N Spins, and amusement rides that whip you around in tight circles used to be the best things ever. But just looking at them now makes my stomach do a flip. Just swinging back and forth at the park with Charlotte gives me a headache. How did this happen? Does this affect everyone when they age? Is it an inner-ear thing? I don't know, but I have a feeling that in a few years Disney World is going to put me in a world of hurt.

While we were picnicing at Union Park, Charlotte was drawn to the carousel and its galloping and circling zoo. She rode on its bench seat last year when she was 10 months old, but I doubt she really understood what was happening.

This year she was much more cautious. Although she was really excited to touch the jumping tiger, she couldn't bring herself to stay on the ride. Twice Char stepped onto the carousel's deck, and twice she turned and ran for the exit. We then spent the better part of 20 minutes watching the animals go bounding by, and each time tiger passed Charlotte pointed him out.

The tiger: not the boy.

I decided to get on and show her that riding the tiger isn't a big deal. I flashed the kid at the entrance gate our season pass, and climbed aboard for a ride. As I settled in and gripped the gold support pole, three thoughts ran through my mind at once: 1) Hey, this tiger is really pretty high off the ground. 2) It's really hot in here. 3) Oh, no. This thing goes up and down, too. All which cumulated into, "Oh, crap. What was I thinking?"

For the next two and a half minutes, in an effort to make it look like I was having fun, I smiled, waved, and pointed at the gals as I passed them:

 

I may have felt a bit woozy when the ride slowed to a stop, but I could tell that Charlotte was looking at me in a different light when I stepped off the ride. Her conversation on the way home confirmed that. Over and over, Char repeated in one pattern or another:
"Daddy rode tiger! Daddy rode tiger!"
"Daddy brave!"
"Ca-sel goes round, round, round!"
"Daddy hold tight!"

Depending on your age and your spinning abilities, you may be thinking: 1) Good job, weenie. You survived a children's carousel. or 2) Way to take one for the team, old man.

As long as my daughter is walking around saying, "Daddy rode tiger! Daddy brave!" I couldn't care either way.