How Often Do You Swing with Your Kids?

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

08 Mar 2009 02:56 PM

My kid's been swinging since she was five-weeks-old. Now, at the ripe old age of four, she finds it more enjoyable to push me on a swing, then jump on the one next to mine and race me to "the moon."

I never win that game.

Be that as it may, swings, or perhaps more specifically, parents swinging with their children, has been a hot topic this week following the delivery of a new pimped out swing set to the White House.

Apparently, President and Mrs. Obama decided to treat their daughters, 7-year-old, Sasha, and 10-year-old, Malia, to a deluxe-edition play set complete with swings, slides, a fort, a climbing wall and an adjoining picnic table featuring brass plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents.

The killer swing set reportedly made the girls scream with delight when they saw it. What's more, according to reports, it took the Obama girls less than two minutes to challenge their mother to a swing race, and off they went.

Reports say the swing set (which was purchased with the Obama's own money) will not be used exclusively by Sasha and Malia. Rather, the first parents revealed that they shelled out $3,500 for the set so the children of White House staffers could use it too.

Now, here's the part I found interesting, according to the maker of the fancy swing set, while the Obama's playground features multiple bells and whistles, it is far from the most extravagant set in the company's catalog. Other sets reportedly come with spiral slides, spacious lofts and massive tri-colored tents.

"The Obamas made a very conservative choice," the play system's president told reporters. "It's absolutely not over the top."

The set features four swings, reportedly because the entire Obama clan (minus grandma) enjoys swinging together... and now they can do so in their own backyard. The swing set sits just outside the Oval Office enabling the president to view his daughters (and wife) at play.

When was the last time you hit the swings with your kid?

Related Articles:

Grandma in the White House

The Love Between Grandmother and Grandson

Obama Girls Going Hollywood?

Has Becoming a Parent Made You a Better Person?

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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