Super Soakers to the Rescue!
By: David Bickley - Parenting Contributor
Yesterday, I watched a group of kids in Riverside Park yesterday (three of which were mine) engage in the coup de grate of all water battles. Sometimes, teams were chosen. Other times, it was every man for him/herself. Strategy was as intense as it was important, one kid even went as far as to hide in a portable toilet to wait for the right time to ambush his unsuspecting victim.
The toy of choice this summer is the Super Soaker. The water pistol has definitely evolved since I was young. No more cheesy , see-through plastic pistols that crack and leak. We have larger, more powerful water guns that spray longer ranges, and can dump 1/2 a gallon of water on your target with the simple squeeze of a trigger. This not only pisses off the pigeons, but joggers, dog-walkers, and stroller pushing parents that catch some friendly fire along the way. (Again, I apologize if my kids got you).
Unlike most wars and battles, this one had a happy ending. All the soliders returned home not only alive, in one piece, and without injury, but with a sense of knowing they had just spent their first day of summer vacation escaping the heat and humidity with good friends and with the knowledge that there are still two more months to fight on!
