Here are the pro's:
- It's FREE
- The kids will inevitably tire of what they have in the yard now, and a swing set might prove to be a great asset to their play (and a great asset to my needing them to play for longer periods so I can get things done)
- It's FREE
- I had one growing up and we loved it, used it for years
- It's relatively new and in great shape, and it's a smaller size -- not one of those monstrosities that cost thousands of dollars (yet still bigger than one of those metal ones you can get at Kmart)
Here are the con's:
- Here is our backyard:

It's not very big, and Don keeps saying that it's going to swallow up what yard we have (like it's OK for him to take up our entire living room with his audio equipment!!!). Like I said, though, we had one growing up and we kids never seemed to feel claustrophic.
- We have to break it down ourselves and haul it away by next weekend (basically do it all in one day, on Saturday)
- Grace isn't even 2 years old yet and the protective mother hen in me feels that this would be an accident waiting to happen, and would actually cause me to spend more time monitoring them rather than letting them play unattended (which I can do now, to some degree).
- I have no time to think about this. We need to let them know a.s.a.p.
So what do you think? Do we go ahead with it, because -- well, it's FREE?! Do the con's outweigh the pro's at this point? Do we pass up this FREE opportunity and re-visit this next year when Grace is older? I am absolutely torn on this decision. If this was you, what would you do?

3 comments:
If it means that you can't leave them unattended in the back yard for a second, I'd pass on it--Otherwise, you'll never get anything done! Plus, if they want to play on the swings, you can take them to the park where they have your undivided attention!
We received a free one as well, and I couldn't be happier. The kids know they cannot be on it without us, and so we do have to observe them in the yard, but it's still lots of really active play for them. I'm all for free, but that's just me!
Ha! Jen, the key to your success is in your own words: "the kids know they cannot be on it without us." That kind of knowledge doesn't seem to exist in our family. :) Aidan, yes, but Grace ... I had a good chuckle! We're still debating ...
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