Once again, my big sis Carole is helping me out with blogging, since she can’t help with nursing. And what is the deal with playdates? Where did the name come from?
Playdates (is it officially one word or two?) came up while Daphne and I were enjoying our annual Monday night “Mom’s Out” cocktail. (We’ve done it once, but it could be a trend.)
It seems that Vivien’s dance card is packed with playdates; the phone rings off the hook with playdate requests.
This reminds me so much of what happened when my son Charlie was Vivien’s age. I was running myself ragged going here and there and everywhere on playdates that took too much of our time. Playdating is no
different than “grown-up ” dating (except for the chaperons). You cannot say “YES” to everyone, nor should you. Of course, it is beneficial for your child to have social interaction with children, but once they are in pre-school, it is built in– and sometimes I wondered who the playdates were for…. the child or the parent?
Playdates, like everything else should be done in moderation. Now that my son is 11, I suggest that all playdates take place right after school in the park (neutral territory) and as I reassured Daphne– it really is OK
to just say no to a playdate.
Ah, yes … playdates! They can be a sanity saver at times, at others – just more stress.
So here is my dilemma (sp?) … what do you do when you enjoy the mom but notsomuch the kids (and your kid feels the same)? Or/and … whenever they leave your house it looks as if WWIII just ended and you spend the next hour cleaning up and cursing under your breath????
I don’t go near anything I’m “expected to do”, it always has to have something in it for me. Of course, I just confessed to my mom friends today at my kids’ tennis class that I do nothing just for myself. Which they concluded is excusable because I have so many kids. Ten kids is not alot!
Anyway, I leave comments on Dahpne’s site, hopefully making her feel less alone in her parenting. That’s something I do for myself, and leaky breastmilk everywhere.
(Kidding, Carole, I only have five.)
Five is plenty.
Lou, must announce “clean up time” before kid leaves and other parent is shamed in to helping wrangle as well. And another prob is you like the kid, but not the parent.
It’s much better when they are 6 and you can have kids over without their parents. Just a few nice words at the door, then woosh my kid is off my back for two hours.