Play Dates

I have had four different children in the last week come up to me and ask if they could please come over to my house for a play date. That's right, asked me, not one of my children.

We have a lot of play dates over here. I don't know if I would consider it a talent per se, but I don't mind having a house full of small, rambunctious children (18 months or older - it does stress me out to have more than one baby if I'm the only adult). In fact, I like it. I like that my children (generally) behave better when they're playing with friends, I like when my children want to be home rather than wanting to always be gone at friends' houses, and I find that I'm more motivated to be creative and patient and "fun" when we have friends over.

I like planning themed snacks and picnic lunches in the backyard, making sidewalk chalk paint, playing on the trampoline, listening to kids play in the sandbox or on the swingset, being a patron at pretend zoos, circuses, and plays, or being the monster trying to catch the fairies and steal their magic (why am I always made the monster?). Play dates let me get my own household chores done uninterrupted while still interacting with my children and keeping them entertained.

Since only one of those children asking (inviting themselves?) for a play date knew about the new trampoline (thank you, Sherise, for your help in helping us get it down here), I'm going to go for the logical conclusion that I'm just a cool mom. I figured I should get this in writing now to read over and over again when we have teenagers.