Playdatessssssss

I am the first to tell you I really don’t ‘do’ other peoples kids. I’ve never liked kids, and will sound contradictory here, but I LOVED being a kid. I loved my friends as a kid. But maybe because when I was young and tried to baby sit NO ONE would listen to me. I HATED telling other peoples kids what to do. They weren’t my people, and they could smell the fear in me.

Thus I never baby sat after that ONE time. In my 20’s some of my friends had kids already. NOW only ONE of my friends had her son VERY well behaved, and sadly at that time in our lives she lived far, and we didn’t communicate like we do now. (she would be the friend that taught me that whining is NOT a form of language that people understand) That leaves my other friends with kids. Sigh. They weren’t bad parents, but they could have been much better. I tried not to judge, since I had no kids of my own.

NOW I’ve got my own 5 year old and 3 year old, and I loves them. I do. They are fun, and creative, and remind me to be silly, and slow down. BUT they whine and fight, and drive me nuts. SO play dates (the point of the blog post only 3 paragraphs in!) frighten me.

BIG deep breath… and then Bagel went to Preschool. I was scared. What if I didn’t like the other mommies? What if they were cliquey? What if ALL the other kids did events all summer prior and ONLY my kid didn’t?!

Well needless to say, I was silly. I made friends fast, by forcing everyone to talk to me each morning. We never did play dates, since we all saw each other 3 days a week. But with the end of school nearing, I was brave and at graduation I asked for names and phone numbers (some FB accounts too) I was planning Bagel’s 5th Birthday Party and was going to invite… OTHER PEOPLE’S kids. GASP!!

Long story short, it was awesome, she had 4 girlfriends show up, and it was perfect. I insisted that my mom, the Queen attend so I was not alone. And I survived. SO did the kids.

Now that the big birthday bash is over, and summer is underway, I’ve had playdates with one mom and her kids, and even to my surprise her son is Bagel’s age, and all the kids still get along. (not sure why I thought they wouldn’t)

Lets get to the neighborhood kids. The little girl behind us is cute, she’s feisty, and a bit crazy. BUT she and Bagel will be riding the bus together, and going to school together in the fall. And then there is XTina’s girls. OMG they are too cute, sweet, and just the right age, PLUS XTina and I went to H.S. together, and have mutual friends. Perfect.

As for today I’m excited to have NO play dates. Sigh, Wednesday I had 2… two… TWO play dates in a day. OMG. THEN Thursday I had another? And ran into more preschool mommy friends? And I have TWO birthday parties, KIDS parties at that, this weekend… I’m doing better.

I’m starting to like this ‘Mommy socializing’ thing. It’s good for me. It’s good for the kids. And it’s definatly a growing experience for me. Some people are made to love kids, and socialize with other peoples kids. I just need to warm up to the idea… well warm I am, and I can handle it.

Now in the words of Bagel “MOM, seriously? ANOTHER day at the park with friends?! Can’t we just hang out in the art room, JUST us?” She is SO her mommy and daddy.

Happy Friday, and Happy play dates to all of you!

Feisty