One Crazy Mom Learned a Lesson

Let me just say first that I really like Serena's friends....really, I do. They all come from great moms and dads. With that out of the way, I can safely say that we will not be having a sleepover for a few years. I warned them....do not run in my house. They ran. I warned them...please use indoor voices...they hollered like banchees while running. Individually, these girls would not do that. As a group, it was a war mentality, I think. Like one mom said, "It's a girl thing." Right on.

Am I a fan of sleepovers? Nope. It's really not their fault. I'm just not that patient and I'm not that young anymore. Serena enjoys her friends, but they are all a year younger. It makes a big difference, we found. While they want to spend 30 seconds on each activity before moving on, Serena would actually like to spend 30 minutes on it. She found she was turning into a mother, as she told them, "my dad said not to walk up the hill, go around it." They didn't listen to me or to her, and lost their boots in a hole while trying to climb up. Serena said to me, "Mom, I'm tired of this." She's always been an old soul. More wisdom comes out of that kid than I can even believe sometimes. Again, she loves her friends. She's just too much like me. :)

So, I survived Sleepover #1 and surprisingly, the kids survived me. I'm not sure they really like me anymore, but at least my house is quiet now.
Steve, my dear patient husband, helped us make the lip balm, which really was too difficult an activity for 8 and 9 year olds, we realized a bit too late. What? you thought he was hiding somewhere watching TV? He's a smart man who knows better. He was very helpful in keeping things under control. Now and then, I'd say, "Steve, go up there and give 'em some dad, would ya, I'm tired of it." I was always afraid of my friend's dads. Kids today don't seem to be afraid of adults anymore. We don't want to be harsh and mean. We want the kids to have fun, but it can get so easily out of control, then it's not fun anymore. I am more concerned about someone getting hurt than breaking something. Really.
Again, I really like those kids and some things went really well. I heard please and thank you and they all went to bed like angels. No noise, no protests. No giggling after midnight. Believe it or not, there was no mess! They didn't get anything out! Amazing. Some things went exceptionally well. They are nice little girls who will always be welcome at our home. One at a time.