Boom, Boom, Boom!
I've always loved fireworks. The best fireworks on the Vineyard are in Oak Bluffs every August, but the 4th of July fireworks in Edgartown each year are pretty good too.
This year my family was scattered in all directions for the 4th, and for the first time in a long time, I did not see any fireworks.
When the kids were little and we lived in New Jersey, every year we would go see the fireworks in Cranford. Folks walked around selling glow sticks and necklaces, there were booths with popcorn and ices for sale, and the lawn was always wall to wall blankets covered with people of all ages.
First-Born Son loved the fireworks but he hated the noise. Little did we know he was the first in line to exhibit what must be a gene-related fireworks-noise phobia, present in all my offspring. My ex soothed his hysteria by sticking a huge pair of padded earphones on his head.
I guess he looked a little silly. People couldn't help staring at him, running around in his red white and blue OshKosh overalls, waving his glow stick wildly, oblivious to the contraption on his head. But at least he was able to enjoy the fireworks without fear.
Then Daughter #1 came along. That first year she was an infant and nursed her way through the fireworks without fanfare, but year two she started to scream at the first bang. First-Born Son was only four, and there was no way we were yanking those headphones off him.
So D #1 and I were banished to the car. There I turned up the radio and danced her feet on the ceiling of the car in the attempt to distract her from the booming. I like to think somewhere in her brain she maintains a sweet memory of that night; I know it was a keeper for me.
By the next year, F-B Son was feeling like a big enough boy to gallantly pass along the headphones to D #1. And all was well.
Eventually, Daughter #2 arrived and grew old enough to exhibit the firework-freak-out gene. But D #1 was only four herself, and not ready to give up the sacred headphones. That year my ex took his turn in the car.
When she was two-and-a-half, we discovered D #2 had a congenital hearing loss. That precluded her need for the headphones on the 4th. Although she could still hear the fireworks, we realized if we simply turned off her hearing aids and left them in her ears, that worked just as well.
Looking back, I wonder if it's weird that we made the decision to plug up our children's ears, rather than forego the fireworks. But at the time the noise seemed to be the issue, and they appeared to sincerely delight in the visual display.
Nowadays we can all enjoy our fireworks minus the ear accoutrements. But I was a little sad this year. D #2 went off to view them with her father and some friends on the beach, and F-B Son was out and about with his pals. I actually sat on the couch in my PJ's, reading and listening to the far off booming. I may have felt a bit nostalgic, but I have to admit it was pretty rare and relaxing.
D #1 got home late from her babysitting job. The two little boys had been asleep in their beds during the fireworks, she reported. She had anxiously hovered outside their bedroom door, absolutely certain they would awaken and be terrified by the noise. But, wonder of wonders, they slept through the whole thing.
Clearly, I explained to her, they do NOT have the gene.
This year my family was scattered in all directions for the 4th, and for the first time in a long time, I did not see any fireworks.
When the kids were little and we lived in New Jersey, every year we would go see the fireworks in Cranford. Folks walked around selling glow sticks and necklaces, there were booths with popcorn and ices for sale, and the lawn was always wall to wall blankets covered with people of all ages.
First-Born Son loved the fireworks but he hated the noise. Little did we know he was the first in line to exhibit what must be a gene-related fireworks-noise phobia, present in all my offspring. My ex soothed his hysteria by sticking a huge pair of padded earphones on his head.
I guess he looked a little silly. People couldn't help staring at him, running around in his red white and blue OshKosh overalls, waving his glow stick wildly, oblivious to the contraption on his head. But at least he was able to enjoy the fireworks without fear.
Then Daughter #1 came along. That first year she was an infant and nursed her way through the fireworks without fanfare, but year two she started to scream at the first bang. First-Born Son was only four, and there was no way we were yanking those headphones off him.
So D #1 and I were banished to the car. There I turned up the radio and danced her feet on the ceiling of the car in the attempt to distract her from the booming. I like to think somewhere in her brain she maintains a sweet memory of that night; I know it was a keeper for me.
By the next year, F-B Son was feeling like a big enough boy to gallantly pass along the headphones to D #1. And all was well.
Eventually, Daughter #2 arrived and grew old enough to exhibit the firework-freak-out gene. But D #1 was only four herself, and not ready to give up the sacred headphones. That year my ex took his turn in the car.
When she was two-and-a-half, we discovered D #2 had a congenital hearing loss. That precluded her need for the headphones on the 4th. Although she could still hear the fireworks, we realized if we simply turned off her hearing aids and left them in her ears, that worked just as well.
Looking back, I wonder if it's weird that we made the decision to plug up our children's ears, rather than forego the fireworks. But at the time the noise seemed to be the issue, and they appeared to sincerely delight in the visual display.
Nowadays we can all enjoy our fireworks minus the ear accoutrements. But I was a little sad this year. D #2 went off to view them with her father and some friends on the beach, and F-B Son was out and about with his pals. I actually sat on the couch in my PJ's, reading and listening to the far off booming. I may have felt a bit nostalgic, but I have to admit it was pretty rare and relaxing.
D #1 got home late from her babysitting job. The two little boys had been asleep in their beds during the fireworks, she reported. She had anxiously hovered outside their bedroom door, absolutely certain they would awaken and be terrified by the noise. But, wonder of wonders, they slept through the whole thing.
Clearly, I explained to her, they do NOT have the gene.
Oh I love fireworks too. But the only person in my family with that gene was the dog. Who one year ran all the way down to the freeway before the cops picked her up. My favorite fireworks ever, coincidentally, were the Oak Bluffs ones. One year we walked with my father until we were sitting right by the bandstand. We lay on our backs on blankets and watched the fireworks right over our heads. So lovely.
Posted by: LPC | July 07, 2009 at 11:44 AM
We had a pretty scary occurence with fireworks when we were barely in our tweens. My sister and I were standing on a balcony and the people underneath the floor we were on were setting off fireworks which misfired and came into our space causing a lot of commotion and smoke. I think neither one of us has forgotten that and it took years for me to even hold a sparkler after that.
Posted by: Sprite's Keeper | July 07, 2009 at 02:18 PM
I had a friend when I was, oh, 8 or so who suffered from third degree burns all up and down her right forearm - her father let her hold a Roman candle while it was going off. *shakes head*
We haven't been out to watch the fireworks for several years, simply because the kids are never here at home on the 4th; they are almost always somewhere else. But, that's okay, we get to see them - several times over - during Hall of Fame week in August.
Posted by: Jan | July 07, 2009 at 02:28 PM
I took my one year old son to the fireworks this year and he didn't even flinch at the great loud noises. I figure it's because his dad is so easy going and he's a big fan of being noisy himself!
Posted by: Kate | July 07, 2009 at 05:04 PM
This was my first 4th where my kids had their own plans. I was going to go to a BBQ at a friend's, but ended up staying home a keeping our 2 year old border collie company.
Nice and relaxing, but a little nostalgic here too.
Posted by: Pseudo | July 07, 2009 at 06:00 PM
We had no plans to go to the fireworks this year but at the last minute Sarah and I went down to a little beach near the bridge on Beach Road and we saw the Falmouth Fireworks and at least four other fireworks in various towns across the water. It was beautiful.
I loved your story about passing the headphones on. My son didn't like fireworks when he was really little but my daughter loved them from day one.
Posted by: joanharvest | July 07, 2009 at 08:12 PM
Just to add to your findings, the gene has nothing to do with age, as I too possess it and actually developed at AFTER I "grew up" (although that can be debatable as I'm on 23) Whatever. The point is, can I have the headphones now?
Posted by: GiGi @ Incrementum | July 07, 2009 at 09:13 PM
My kids never seemed to mind the noise of fireworks. My dogs on the other hand have jumped thru windows in fear and trying to "escape" the booms. Now we give them doggy valium.
Posted by: Twenty Four At Heart | July 08, 2009 at 12:40 AM
I have a son who hated the sound of fireworks too! It didn't last long, just the first three or four years...
Posted by: cindy | July 08, 2009 at 07:23 AM