When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to live near some natural water slides. There was an ancient river that cut through the rocks, and every summer spring after the flood, it was slick enough to slide down into a pool at the bottom. I rarely went to waterslide parks when I was a kid. We had much better entertainment at home, after all. If you didn't grow up near a watering hole, you have no idea what you missed out on. Having a place nearby where you can swim, splash around, and relax with your friends in the summer is one of the essential ingredients of childhood. Without it, whether or not you know it, you are poorer.
When we would go on vacation, of course, we would go to amusement parks with the other kids. I have to admit that they were pretty thrilling. The water slides and inner tube rides at those amusement parks were not like what we had at home. They were much bigger, going up stories and stories. Being able to slide all the way down at breakneck speeds really was thrilling, and the pool at the bottom with its artificial waves was pretty neat itself. However, I never really liked those water slides as much as the one at my house. I didn't like the big crowds of people, you see. Going down to the natural water slide, I would know everyone who was there. It is true that there were some kids who I liked and some kids who I didn't, but at least everyone was familiar. Being lost in a crowd of people is nothing like having a small group surrounding you at home.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to provide my kid with the same kind of environment that I had. There are no natural water slides anywhere near us. Instead, we have to go about a mile to the neighborhood pool. They have an inflatable water slide there that they set up sometimes during kids swim in the summer. I suppose it is still fun for him. He loves swimming in pools as do most kids, but I can't help but think that he doesn't have as deep an experience with it as I had with the natural pool that was near me growing up. We had no lifeguards, and no crowds of shouting, screaming kids. There were never more than a few of us, and it was always an intimate experience with nature and each other.
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