Saturday, November 14, 2009

First Sleepover

I heard a comedian the other day who talked about Halloween when he was little:

Your parents tell you that you can dress like anything you want, knock on strangers doors, get all the candy you can possibly carry, stay up past bedtime, the night is yours! But oh yeah, there is one little thing... people might put razors in the candy to try and kill you so make sure to check it first.

I tend to be slightly neurotic. That's what happens when you work in Mental Health (at least that's my excuse, I was likely crazy before college too...but my education fine-tuned it!). I had a talk with Rylee before her first non-relative sleepover (which she is at right now, and I'm not even driving by the people's house stalking them...yet.....yay for me!). I told her "you are such a big girl, and I'm so proud of you. You are going to have a blast having milkshakes, movies, and a make-over! How fun to sleep over. Are you excited? (R - "Yes"). Great, well we don't know these people very well, so make sure to go in the bathroom and lock the door to change, same thing for going potty. Do not change in front of her parents. You tell me if anyone makes you feel funny. Grab the phone and call 911 if anyone hurts you." Her little face went from excited to scared to death. Crap.

Fast forward 1 hour...I sidetracked her, got her back on the excited train, got my neurosis in check. Then I couldn't find her. I walked in our room, where her Police Officer dad was having the same talk with her. Poor baby...

Tough balance talking with your kids and warning them...yet not scaring the crap out of them. I hugged her goodbye and sent her on her way, with tears in my eyes (seriously, you would think she was going off to war). I think we need to watch less Marley and Me in our house, we're sappy and emotional.

And as a head's up....if your child is doing a sleepover at someone's house and you don't know them well, plug the parents names into azsexoffender.com, also the Maricopa County Courts website to make sure they have no criminal records, you can also check out if they have any financial liens against them at the Arizona Recorder's website......just saying....not admitting.

5 comments:

The Wilkes said...

You need to get a tiny camera that looks like a button on her shirt. That way you can watch everything she sees and then you no longer have to sit outside the friend's house with binoculars! Ha!

The Nelsons said...

Ooh...I love it! Now you're thinkin!

Laurel said...

I love it. Your girls will grow up to be lovely, well-mannered, neurotics!!! What more could any parent want?

Beth said...

I love that she got 'the talk' twice. Way to cover all the bases. I need utah websites some day to check out all my kids friends parents. Parent paranoia must starts the day you find out your preggers. I know it has for me.

Amber said...

I'm the same way. I'd rather offer them too much info than not enough. There are too many sick-os out there and I don't intend for any one of them to screw up my children's lives... I can do that perfectly fine myself, thank you!