What is it about?

The rollercoaster adventures of parenting three kids, dealing with disability and mental health - and discussing disability discrimination and how to tackle it.

Monday 23 June 2008

Circus

The circus is in town! - well, in the next suburb.

Seeing the big red and white tent took me straight back to my childhood. Oh, the magic of the circus! The dark tent with the lights shining on the ring, transforming it into the centre of the universe for the time of the show. The clowns, the acrobatics. The smell of candy floss and popcorn. Ah, the circus is pure magic.

And as a mother, what was my first thought? Must take the kids.

I rang around the rest of the mob, and in the end, the whole family went off to the circus yesterday. It was absolutely lovely, and I think the children enjoyed it as much as I did when I was a little tacker.

Beaver sat throughout the whole performance with his earmuffs on, transfixed onto the centre ring. As always, he jerked every time there was an unexpected or loud noise, but otherwise his whole body was tuned to the show. In the intermission, he was full of questions about how the circus folk make it all happen. He couldn't possible name his favorite act afterwards, they were all so good. He wanted to know what he needs to do to learn to do the things the acrobats did. I told him it's all down to gymnastics and stretching. I must ask his gym teacher if there is a new fervor in his gym work now...

Possum was both enthralled and frightened. He was beautiful to watch, with his big dark eyes wide open in a mix of wonder, admiration and fear. He liked the clowns very much, but was so in awe of the acrobatics that at times he had to go and sit on his Daddy's lap. And I must say, what these people do with their bodies is pretty bloody amazing, and one act was seriously scary... He didn't have a favorite act, and when I prodded further by asking which job he would like in the circus, he said he wouldn't want to do any of the acts, but he would love to be one of the men dressed in black who bring and remove the props. Such a sensible and practical boy, this one...

Boo Boo just simply loved it. At first she was really frightened and unsure, what with all the strobe laser lights and loud music at the beginning. But once the show started she was in heaven. She stood on my lap dancing away to the loud music (and despite the fact that she can't get her body to move as she likes, she managed to keep the rhythm) and asking for "more, more". The lady on the trapeze was definitely her favorite. She watched her with shining eyes and kept pointing up high into the circus tent and saying "Me. Up". Not sure if this is a realistic career path for her, but you never know with these kids of ours...

And I had a great time. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Just plain and simple good fun. The show was good - all amazing humans, and no need to feel bad for trained animals - with genuinely funny clowns and amazing acrobats. There was one hairy moment with the Wheel Of Death where even the props guy looked seriously worried for a second or two (you never know if it's part of the show). But all turned out well, and off course they had the audience totally after that moment, and the tent rocked.

But the best thing was to be there with so much family, and to see all those wide-eyed children experiencing a moment of wonder and magic. I think I spend as much time looking at the kids as I did looking at the show. A perfect Sunday afternoon.

The kids, of course, want to go again. I'm tempted too...

2 comments:

fabig said...

Heerlijk te lezen, wat een mooie zondag jullie allemaal hadden. Is toch leuk, dat de familie zo een hechte band heeft.
De reactie van de twee jongens was toch wel, als ik alles goed heb begrepen, totaal verschillend. Ik kan mij wel indenken, dat na de kinderen kijken stukken interessanter was dan de show, ofwel, zo te lezen, die ook niet mis was. Wist trouwens ook niet meer dat je zo enthoesiast was van circus. Wat ik wel nog weet is het enth. vanwege kermis. En Boo Boo, vond het natuurlijk ook prima!

Anonymous said...

It sounds like a great day out! I'd love to take my boys to the circus, I'll have to keep my eyes open for one coming to town....

Regarding the acrobatics, I remember reading somewhere that practicing somersaults is great exercise for kids with CP. We've not yet tried it, but I bet it would be a lot of crazy fun ;-) trying to figure out a way to make it possible (with loads of cushions around, that's for sure!).