Wednesday, April 24, 2013

An Invitation

As we pulled into the driveway last night, Olivia was digging into her backpack, looking for something specific. When she found it, she tried to hand it to me but I was still in the process of parking the car and asked her to wait just a little longer and I’d take it when I was unhooking her car seat straps.

She was fairly bouncing in her seat by the time I got her door open and released her from the car seat.

I took the envelope she was holding out to me. It had her name written on it. I opened it and pulled out an invitation to a party for one of her classmates.

This is the first invitation O’s received from a classmate. She wants to go so badly.

Obviously, I’ll let her. But Tom asked me this morning with concern in his voice, “You’re not going to just drop her off and leave her, are you?”

Ha! Hahahaha. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I wouldn’t do that with my six year old. Parents who do, more power to you. No judgment from me at all. But I’ve never met the parents who are hosting this child’s party and I’m definitely not comfortable dropping O at a stranger’s house for two hours.

And I know Olivia, she wouldn’t want that. She’ll want me to stay. So I’ll be calling the parents tonight to see if parents are open to me (and other parents?) staying during the party. I know if I were the host, I’d hope for as many parents to stay as possible.

I want Olivia to makes friends with her classmates. I want her to be included and have fun. But I also want her to be safe.

I didn’t leave Alyssa at friends’ houses when she was six. She didn’t start sleeping over at friends’ houses until about three months ago, so…yeah, I’m probably overprotective. But at least it’s a consistent trait of mine.

I can’t help it…they’re my baaaybeeees.

Would you leave your typical or special needs child at the home of a parent you’ve never met for a couple of hours during a birthday party? Seriously, inquiring minds want to know.

1 comment:

Laura said...

I wouldn't let either of my children (one typical, one special needs) go to the house of a stranger. I'd also call to make sure I could stay.