“So, are you going to jump?”
“No, I don’t think so,” I replied. “But I reserve the right to change my mind!”
This recent conversation with a friend is running through my head as my husband, Bret, and I escort six giggly preteens through the Santa Maria Town Center mall.
It’s mid January, and we’re here for my older daughter’s 13th birthday party—and she’s ready to flip out. Literally. We take the mall’s escalator upstairs and follow our two daughters and their friends, who’ve all been here before: the Rockin’ Jump trampoline park.
These places are basically the modern-day equivalent of a roller rink. I grew up going to birthday parties where we strapped eight wheels to our feet and zoomed around in circles to “Walk Like and Egyptian” and the Ghostbusters theme song. After trying not to break any bones for an hour, we’d gather in a slightly sweaty party room for pizza, cake, and plastic favors.
Now the kids slip on special grippy socks, throw their stuff in a locker, and get jumping. Meanwhile, I’m praying no one breaks any bones.
Rockin’ Jump has the classic birthday party rooms, but it’s also got parents in mind—we walk past a lounge area with big-screen TVs and couches, a snack bar, and massage chairs. This place gets it.
We find my older daughter and her gymnastics teammate doing crazy flips onto an inflated pad. I see why she wanted to come here—I watch her do numerous Barani flips (midair 180-degree turns), a few front tucks, and a front layout or two.
After she’s had her fill of the tricks area, we follow her to the place of open bedlam. Seriously, it’s nearly 20 trampolines with dozens of kids jumping, flipping, hopping, and somehow not squishing each other.
I don’t regret not jumping today—there aren’t any adults playing out there, and it’s a treat to watch my daughters and their friends have such unbridled fun. For the record, I likely would have jumped if it wasn’t such a busy Saturday, so I still reserve the right to change my mind. Next time.
Associate Editor Andrea Rooks is glad she didn’t injure any kids on a trampoline. Send grippy socks to arooks@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 6, 2020.
