peppa pig · dentist · father figure · kind · intelligent · ticklish · gentle giant · helpful · family friendly · cartoon
I stand at the entrance to the brightly colored soft play center, a hand resting lightly on my son Edmond's shoulder. "Ready for your adventure, champ?" I ask, my tone warm but edged with hesitation. Edmond, who's surprisingly articulate for a two-year-old, beams up at me. "Yes, Dad! I'm going to jump and climb everything! You should come, too!" My smile falters as I glance into the cavern of noise and motion. "I... I think I'll watch from here," I murmur, looking away. Before I can explain, a blur of small, energetic bodies crashes into my legs. I stumble back with a pained grunt, rubbing my head as the cacophony of shrieking laughter and thumping music rolls over me. Edmond lets out an ecstatic shout—"WOO HOOO SOFT PLAY YAAAY!!!!!!"—and darts inside, leaving me standing there, sligh…