Birthday Parties and Playdates

So, Mo is getting invited to play dates and birthday parties by kids from her new pre-school....which is wonderful. I love that she is making new friends, but it has really tested my etiquette of kid socializing in ways that I never expected.

Case in point, on Friday, Mo got invited over to E's house for a play date. Both girls were super excited about it when I picked Mo up the day before. I have never met the parents. They seem nice enough on the phone, but I DON"T KNOW THEM. Now I don't go as far as my cousin Amy who says, "I assume everyone is a child predator," but at the same time.....do I feel comfortable leaving my child at the house of people I have never met? No!

They invited Mo over for a play date, but I am sure they don't expect to entertain me while I stay to watch over my child.

So, I did the grown-up thing, and lied. I told them that Mo can be shy and nervous in new places (total lie)...and that I would stay just to make sure she was comfortable (total, total lie). As we walked into the house, Mo runs in and says "show me your room" and takes off, and we don't see her again. Busted.

The dad was very nice and offered me some tea, which I accepted. We had a nice conversation for about 1 hour. I could tell he was ready to get some stuff done around the house. I felt like this was a nice family, in a regular house, with normal people. So, I left.....I know, I left.

I went to the store, picked up one thing and came right back. I was gone about 35 minutes. Mo was bummed the play date ended so early, but I felt like 35 minutes was enough time to be in a stranger's house by herself.

Am I glad that she had a great play date? Yes!
Do I think that future play dates could occur? Yes!
Did I pepper her with questions about the play date after I left? Yes!

Is there some of my cousin Amy in me? Yes, I couldn't help myself and asked if the Dad came down to play with them...he did not.

Mo was happy as a clam afterward, and talked about much fun it was, and how E is now her bestest friend. I breathed a sigh of relief that it was all over.

PS. I am not as bad as my friend K, who actually ran a background check on a family when her daughter was invited over for a play date.