Saturday, August 9, 2008

Ball Pit, or Death Trap?

Today we went to a birthday party at a local Pizza, Mini Golf, Arcade Type Place. The Diva was overjoyed. Pizza, cake, a slinky that took 5 dollars to win, and the ball pit. She was having a fabulous time in the ball pit, and lucky for me her six year old cousin was willing to be her playmate while I watched happily from the outside. Until I hear five words I so didn't want to hear. "Mommy, my foot is stuck!" I look at The Diva, and sure enough her foot has managed to get stuck in a gap between the landing and the ball pit. And not just stuck- twisted at a weird angle and stuck. Now, the entrance to the ball pit is an awkward shaped tunnel on either side of the pit. So I make a bee-line for an entrance and hustle my anything-but-tiny rear through the tunnel, dive into the ball pit, and wade my way to my child in distress. A random dad, who was also on the outside went at The Diva from the other entrance. Thank God he did, because I don't know that I would have gotten her foot out without his help. And I am positive that the longer it took, the more I would have freaked. Poor Diva screamed everytime I touched her foot. I wasn't sure what the best method of getting her unstuck was, so I went with the wiggle and pull method. I just wanted that damn foot out, and my child in one, unbroken piece. The random dad sort of pushed on the landing and the side of the ball pit. I am not sure if he really moved it much, but his effort was appreciated. I freed my child, unscathed except for a rip in her sock and a dent on her toe. I reported the incident to the staff. I really don't think there should be weird gaps in play structures like that. They assured me that they would look into it, and if it couldn't be remedied immediately, that the ball pit would be shut down until it was fixed. I kind of want to go back and make sure they did what they said, but I am not sure if I am overreacting or not. The Diva was immediately back to her bossy self, asking to go down the slide, so I guess it won't scar her for life or anything.

1 comment:

Mommy Vern said...

This would scare the begesus out of me! I know I wouldn't have been calm. I'm interested in hearing if they have repaired it, too!