So someone VERY KIND (the mother of a friend of my kids) invited my 3 oldest kids to go to a very popular kids’ pizza place recently. Here are the problems:
1. The invite came at 4:30 when we already had a ham in the oven for dinner.
2. The invite came through the woman’s daughter to me and was discussed with my kid before it was discussed with me, so my kids got all excited first.
3. The invite was for a Saturday night, and this place gets seedy and crazy on a Saturday night.
4. I just had a baby and am in postpartum Mama Bear mode where all I envision is bad things happening to my kids. This woman has 1 kid to take along with my THREE (ages 8, 6 and 4) … how is she gonna watch all of them at once?
5. I can’t let her pay for THREE of my kids and I can’t pay for them, either (NICU bill plus about 8 other hospital-related bills that are coming in).
6. I once saw a CSI episode where a kid wasn’t stolen from this pizza place but was taken into a bathroom … this is why I can’t watch those shows anymore and stick mostly with reality TV-land (Flipping Out, Housewives of [fill in the blank], etc.), except for Gray’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters.
7. Aron had dinner to make and leaves to rake and couldn’t go with them to supervise. I have a tiny baby and didn’t wanna chase the kids around while navigating hundreds of other kids and simultaneously nursing my baby. Leaving him home was not an option because I’d been gone already that day for over 2 hours and just didn’t want to leave him again.
So … am I a bad mom or a paranoid mom or a really excellent mom or a hovering mom or what? I don’t really care. I’d rather have disappointed kids than lost or stolen kids any day.
The whole thing wouldn't have even been an issue if they talked with YOU first!! ARG!
ReplyDeleteOk...so I'm not a paranoid mom...I don't worry about my kids being stolen at all...it's such a rare occurance..which is why even when it happens in Europe it's all over the news here...that said...I have terrible issues with people inviting the kids first without running it by me, getting them all excited..that alone would have made it a "no" in my books...
ReplyDeleteTo the friend my reply would have been "Sorry, this is bad timing for our family and next time could you run it by me first? YOU really disappointed them"
Breeze
You're a good mom...
ReplyDeleteNot crazy at all. I think for a few months after having a baby the family should stick together. Besides I don't think I would let my kids go with just one adult to a crowded place. Then if it is already that late in the day asking is kind of rude. Most of us have already paid for and started cooking dinner.
ReplyDeleteLOL LOOOVE Breeze's answer of "YOU really disappointed them!" Yesss!
ReplyDeleteI think you should start watching reality shows where they teach you martial arts you can do while breastfeeding a baby and become a blackbelt in kicking ass and not have to worry about any of it anymore.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Breeze, but would add, "but thank you for your generous offer"
ReplyDeleteI'm such a party animal that I would jump at the opportunity to go! But that's me....
ReplyDeleteThis just happened to me recently and my boy is excited to go bowling for a party. HOWEVER, I will be there in the background to supervise my son because I don't trust him in their care.
You are the superstar mom and the friend was a total prat. She should know better not just because you just had a baby and have other kids, it's common courtesy.
ReplyDeleteWhere did we step of the etiquette wagon?
Hang on, I still remember you being in shock when I first started at F-H because I was always the last through the door because I held it for all the ladies first. You'll be glad to know my little 7 year old man is already on track to be a gentleman. He holds the door for his mother, sister, gran, and female cousins.