We figured we would squeeze in one more activity before heading home on Sunday, so we drove (camper hitched and all) to Hawk Mountain, where we planned on a taking in a raptor show and enjoying a nice hike.
Ha. Maybe they were tired from the weekend. Maybe it was too close to nap time. For whatever reason, our boys basically spent the entire time at Hawk Mountain involved in some sort of meltdown. They didn’t want to walk; they didn’t want to go in the backpacks. They didn’t want to hold hands or stay on the trail. It was one of those times where as a parent you look around and think ‘wow, this could be really beautiful and fun…but not today.’
Last week we had our great return to Hawk Mountain. I remembered the beautiful vistas and the great mass of hawks circling overhead and I just couldn’t wait to go back and actually enjoy the sights with our well-behaved preschoolers who are just so much more reliable and mature. I was so geeked out on my raptors, I even rented high-powered binoculars.
Ha. Maybe it is just our bad decision making as parents. The boys fell asleep on the car ride to the mountain and we woke them up upon arrival. Cranky from the get-go, we just couldn’t pull them out of their slump. Even Wes wouldn’t settle down in the carrier.
Let’s get one thing straight: there are a lot of rocks and steep drop offs at Hawk Mountain. So basically, if your kids are feeling uncooperative, they can make your life a living hell. And ours did. They wanted their sticks; they wanted to climb rocks with their sticks; they wanted to pummel each other with their sticks.
They wanted to get closer and closer to the edge and absolutely under no condition watch where they were putting their feet at any given moment.
Oh, and did I mention it was overcast despite a perfect forecast, and I barely spotted a hawk the entire visit? So basically the binoculars were simply there as another bone of contention between me and my children.
So here is the thing…Hawk Mountain is beautiful and you should really go. But only on a day when my family isn’t there causing a scene. No worries on that score though, because Jeremy and I have decided that we are not going back until all of our boys are in college and we are wondering what to do with ourselves on some beautiful fall weekend.
Until then, Hawk Mountain will have to wait.
