The Friend Zone
Summer is when you know who your friends are.
It happened. Kids just show up at our house
I wrote earlier that I was afraid we lived in the barren suburbs where everyone is all locked in to their many activities to make friends and just play. No hovering parents, no schedule - just a warm August evening.
Too Many Activities
On the weekends in our neighborhood there’s not a kid to be found outside. Tidy Husband is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Tonight, all her friends came over looking for her. The doorbell rang when we were sitting on the back deck eating ice cream and her friend - we’ll call him Steve - came over and wanted to play.
This kid has no fear. He just walks in as if he owns the place and is always so happy to be here. Of course the dog is thrilled that there’s another person to jump on and get petted by.
We were eating ice cream when he showed up and we offered him a popsicle which he happily agreed to. The child seemed to disappear for a minute and then came back explaining that if we were going to entertain she should put on some pants. 1
It’s always important to wear pants.
They had a great time. We blocked the doorway to the family room with the sofa so the dog would leave them alone to play and then after a few minutes they came back up whispering holding stickers, and then I got attacked with stickers.
“Sticker Bomb!” They yell as I allowed them to attack me with stickers.
Holy, Boys are another level of activity I don’t know I could get used to. We’re more a cerebral vs athletic family so it’s different (and probably exhausting) to have a boy with so much energy.
They went outside to play and found another friend and then our front driveway looked like it’s supposed to look like on a perfect summer night: strewn with kids and bikes.
Eventually all good things come to an end and some had to go home to eat and others just had to go home and our little charge had to come in and get to bed because it was well past her bedtime and her mood was starting to reflect that.
But with a few empty threats I managed to get her to bed and last I heard from her she was reading a book on butterflies.
So, to all her friends: You’re always welcome to come over and play any time but it’s a probably a good idea to ring the bell first.
Because you know: Pants.
Until Next Time,
TH and Co.
She was in her nightie. First stop after camp was the tub and then PJ’s and then we take it from there.