Fast-food summer?

Yesterday, I took my son to a park where he could run down the boardwalk among the cypress trees and play on the playground. When your child's face is covered in sweat, though, that's a good sign it's too hot outside to play. When the temperature soars above 90 and the U/V index is 11, what's a mama to do with an antsy child?

So we moved our operations indoors and went to a library we hadn't been to before. The library didn't really have anything for little people, though. My son did pick up a book by Pearl S. Buck, so I know he enjoys classics. And he tried to read it, he really did. But when he discovered the women's restroom -- which had an open type of entry, not a door -- had excellent acoustic properties perfect for squealing, I knew it was time to leave.

Up the street, I found -- ta da! -- an indoor playground. It was connected to a McDonald's, though.

Let me mention right here that I made my own homemade baby food from organic fruits and vegetables. Three times a day, I try to make sure my son gets a meal with all of the four food groups. I give him new foods to try all the time. We don't eat a lot of fast food.

So it was inexplicable why my car pulled into the McDonald's parking lot. Amazing that I picked up my child, opened the door and went inside. Strangely curious that I ordered -- gasp! -- a Happy Meal.

But you know what? My son was indeed happy. He ate all four pieces of chicken and all of the apple slices. (You can get these instead of french fries.) He only played with the cookies. He got to watch every car ("Car! Car!") leave the drive-through. Afterward, he was happy to play in air-conditioned comfort with a boy close to his age.

The boy's mother told me about another McDonald's with an even better indoor playground. And you know what? We went there today. This time, we shared a yogurt parfait. And my son had a grand time. Until I caught him stealing french fries from other kids while they were playing.

So am I turning into one of those mothers who takes her kid for fast food every day? Those terrible mothers who supposedly don't care about nutrition -- who don't have time to make their children a healthy meal? Am I going to end up on page five of the local section and get booed by my neighbors for exposing my child to a fried sandwich?

Well, it sure beats sweating or getting skin cancer.