@Lucretia – the fact that the oldest kid running into strangers’ homes was 8 scares the tar out of me! I’m so glad you had the talk with your little girl though. I’ve had the “different houses, different rules” talk many times with my older 3 so much so that I should probably have it on tape somewhere because I know I’ll be repeating it with Peanut at some point.

@Shelli – I wish there was a way to split the chore but some parents are kind of clueless. I think I’d have to just pipe up and say, “Well I can pick up. How about if you drop off?” I’m not sure that would fix anything but it would be a start (and I’d keep saying it too. No matter how many times they turn you down. Some parents are thick like that).

@Kelly, Vicki, & Iana – I’m sorry you’ve all had similar experiences as I have but I’m glad I’m not alone and I’m not about to start changing the way I’m doing things, it would just be nice if more parents did it our way!

My daughter is only 6, but this past Summer made friends with some of the neighborhood kids. Let her play out in the front yard with them with the admonishment to ‘stay in our yard or the next door neighbor’s yard – NO crossing the street’ – went inside for long enough to get a glass of water and come back out with it… to see her and a half-dozen children that hadn’t been there before heading into the house across the street and three down. Literally as long as it took for me to walk in, get the glass, fill the glass, and walk back out – or I would’ve missed where they went.

She knew she was in trouble before I was half way across the street. “But why couldn’t I go in there Mommy? the neighbor’s kids were…”
1) because I told you not to leave the yard or cross the street and you had to have left as soon as the door shut for you to get down here, 2) because I don’t know those kids or their parents or who is in or not in the house! That brought on a long discussion about how the “neighborhood kids” all just roamed in and out of houses as they pleased and that their parents didn’t even know. They just send them outside and tell them not to come back in until called. These are kids ranging between 3 and 8.

That’s when we had the “different Mommies have different rules – you live by mine” talk. Then again, I show up at her school things, know her friends’ names and their interests, and will actually play with them. So she’s okay with that.

Great post – you struck a nerve with me clearly. lol.

Yep, been there, done that. I am still like you and my youngest is 17. He doesn’t get to go anywhere unless I know the people, know where he’s going, with whom, etc. All that stuff that kids hate (but secretly appreciate — he has even said so).

You’re a good mom!

Looking forward to more great reads,
Kelly