A Perfect Day for a Picnic

Yesterday we took the children who have been participating in the summer program for a picnic, which, in India, refers to an event more like a field trip. (It doesn’t involve a blanket in the grass or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but it’s still great fun!)

We hired a van and driver and took 20 children, between the ages of two and 12, to the children’s park in Ernakulam, which is full of fun things for them to swing on, climb through, slide down, and jump around in. And they got right to it. Athul climbed up the neck of a giraffe. Vini and Vinisha see-sawed in their matching dresses. Aswathy went down the slide at least a hundred times and asked me to take a photo of it each and every time. And little Gautham (that terrible two-year-old) cried on the merry-go-round.

After an hour or so of exercise, we decided to refuel the gang with ice cream bars. Some of the little ones got more of it on their clothes than in their mouths, but it didn’t seem to bother them in the least. With dirty dresses and sticky hands, they just ran off again for more playtime.

And all too soon for their liking, it was time to load the van and head back home. But little did any of us know that there was still more excitement to be had. About halfway home, the first child threw up his ice cream treat. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, several more proceeded to do the same as we made our way back to Aluva. We rearranged the kids, putting the sickest ones by the windows, and passed out as many plastic bags as we had on hand.

I was feeling kind of bad and only praying that these children’s parents would not forbid them from ever hanging out with me again, but, amazingly, the minute we reached our own road and the kids got down from the van, they were all happiness and smiles once again. I bet they all ran home, yelling, “Hey Mom! We got ice cream and then we puked. It was awesome!”

And, considering that no child puked on me, I’d have to agree that it was a pretty awesome day.