Did Caylee Have Any Playmates?

[MaraSleuth]

My little guy went through an awful time with separation anxiety between 2 and 2.5 years old. He'd cry and scream for me - I could not use the toilet without him following me into the bathroom. Also I tried playdates before 3 and he just was not interested. He turned 3 in January and has just started playing with other kids. Before he was happy to play with me or by himself.

My mother watches my nieces (1 and 3) while my sister works and they don't really interact with other kids. My parents neighborhood is full of old people - no one has kids or grandkids who are over regularly. There just isn't much opportunity. My sister did just recently put my 3 year old niece in preschool 2X a week for interaction with other kids - but age 3 was the minimum age they would take.

 

[Simply Caustic]

It does to me compared to all the efforts I went to to socialize my toddler daught er...

I agree. IMO the only time Casey setup 'playdates' was when she had her neighbor/friend (who I read in the docs, had stated her child and Caylee played) would BABYSIT for Caseyy...the playdate was merely incidental, all she cared about was a sitter. IMO Casey plunked her into that carseat, and that was all the 'playtime' she had while with Casey.

 

[TURBOTHINK]

right, i think you misinterpreted what i said. since Caylee wouldn't have had the fine motor skills to color in the lines, she should not have been given coloring books. at least this is what i learned when i studied early childhood development in relation to art. when i see parents of young children purchasing coloring books for their toddlers, i just want to smack them out of their hands. the other thing that drives me nuts, when children make turkeys out of their hands. let them draw a turkey, let them use their imagination. who cares if it looks like a turkey.
of course she would have needed help getting dressed but what two year old doesn't want to pick out what she is going to wear????

All children mature in fine motor skills differently, but 3 of mine could color well by age 2, and could use scissors and paints. Staying within the lines is not even an issue in learning to color in my opinion.

I always had coloring books available, for my kids as they enjoyed sitting and "coloring." None of mine needed help getting dressed, as most children by that age can button their clothes and get undressed and dressed alone. They could not tie their shoes, but they could put on and hook their ones with Velcro straps.

I am not one to let little ones sit in front of a TV, so I had lots of things for them to do throughout the course of a day. Finger painting was one of their favorites.

 

[magic-cat]

Hmmmm....NORMAL...what IS that? What does that MEAN?

NORMAL???

Normal to whom?

In MY home I have had six children two of whom are autistic. And I can tell you this-NOTHING is NORMAL...I actually have come to despise that particular word...NORMAL...just another NORMAL day...

There is no such thing in MY world.

When you have children with special needs NORMAL goes out the window completely and you have to find a new normal for US place to abide. Having NO familial support system at all, and I mean NONE-not my parents and not my husband's parents and NO aunts or uncles or anyone like that we have pretty much had only US to depend upon and have managed quite nicely I think...although...

there was that SEVEN YEARS when my husband and I did not ever one single time leave our home TOGETHER at the same time ALONE without our children. We had NOBODY but us...

So, in the scheme of things, does that make us ABNORMAL?
I would guess so...

BUT-
My children have had a rainbow of crayons and chalk and paint and papers of every sort. They have had books that would fill a library and legos, and duplos and mega-blocks and barbies and kitchens and lovely rooms to live their lives in. They have had ANYTHING that ANY child could want-games and game systems, phones, ipods, computers, their own rooms, TV's and Dvd players in their rooms. They have had costumes galore and they have run like the wind when it is warm enough to go outside and we do every single day WITH THEM. They have had swingsets and pools and sandboxes and tunnels. They have had one another so they always HAD someone to socialize with. They have had US and we were there to play with them just as if we were kids ourselves and still do.

I find it odd that people think it is NORMAL to take children to strangers to be cared for and we call this "socialization" when in fact, what it actually is, in reality, is just a glorified baby-sitting situation. There is not one thing wrong with a mother or a father for that matter, attending to their children until that child is school age. And it certainly is not "ABNORMAL" to mother one's children until they come to that age...and that age is NOT two, or three or even four for that matter. School age is FIVE in this country, regardless of what one HAS to do because one HAS to work, or what one CHOOSES to do because one desires freedom. I happen to LOVE being with my children and find it kind of offensive that people who are DIFFERENT than the average Jane Doe should be considered NOT NORMAL...

My sons, the autistic ones, cannot be FORCED to be "socialized". They seem to like who they are and they do not seem to want to be somebody else, and frankly, I want them to be who they ARE and to be all that they can be...but if that is not NORMAL according to the social norms being discussed in this thread, then what does that mean? Does it mean I am a bad parent because I have difficult circumstances and do the best that I can with it? Does it make me NOT NORMAL because we have NOBODY as far as family support? And does it make my children unfortunate because they have absolutely no desire to "socialize"? They are busy, and they are happy. Beyond that...

I don't like this thread...IT is implying that one who does not "fit" these criteria of what is NORMAL must therefore be INADEQUATE and that certainly is an unfair and MOST biased assumption. There are exceptions and there are exceptional circumstances. I KNOW...I have lived within those exceptions for the past 12 years and continue to do so today. Maintaining many friendships in the midst of what we have endured and making playdates on a regular basis would have been impossible. We do have some friends who have on ocassion brought their children over to play through the years, and as I said, they have had one another, and we have taken them to the park, etc, but not like every day or even every week. We have a tough schedule even supporting all of these children, and for 7 months out of the year my husband works 7 days a week and then 4 days a week the other 5 months on his "winter job". We have a large home, a large yard, a garden, pets, appointments galore (dentists, doctors, specialists) and there are not hours in the day to do all of what everyone here has been discussing.

I wonder back in the "good ole days" they worried so much about "playdates" and the like, or if it was more about making certain that everyone was fed, clothed, housed, kept warm, and had their needs provided for?

God, I WISH my life was such that playdates for my children was one of my PRIORITIES. That must be nice...I wish...

What IS normal again?

 

[LinasK]

Hmmmm....NORMAL...what IS that? What does that MEAN?

NORMAL???

Normal to whom?

In MY home I have had six children two of whom are autistic. And I can tell you this-NOTHING is NORMAL...I actually have come to despise that particular word...NORMAL...just another NORMAL day...

There is no such thing in MY world.

When you have children with special needs NORMAL goes out the window completely and you have to find a new normal for US place to abide. Having NO familial support system at all, and I mean NONE-not my parents and not my husband's parents and NO aunts or uncles or anyone like that we have pretty much had only US to depend upon and have managed quite nicely I think...although...

there was that SEVEN YEARS when my husband and I did not ever one single time leave our home TOGETHER at the same time ALONE without our children. We had NOBODY but us...

So, in the scheme of things, does that make us ABNORMAL?
I would guess so...

BUT-
My children have had a rainbow of crayons and chalk and paint and papers of every sort. They have had books that would fill a library and legos, and duplos and mega-blocks and barbies and kitchens and lovely rooms to live their lives in. They have had ANYTHING that ANY child could want-games and game systems, phones, ipods, computers, their own rooms, TV's and Dvd players in their rooms. They have had costumes galore and they have run like the wind when it is warm enough to go outside and we do every single day WITH THEM. They have had swingsets and pools and sandboxes and tunnels. They have had one another so they always HAD someone to socialize with. They have had US and we were there to play with them just as if we were kids ourselves and still do.

I find it odd that people think it is NORMAL to take children to strangers to be cared for and we call this "socialization" when in fact, what it actually is, in reality, is just a glorified baby-sitting situation. There is not one thing wrong with a mother or a father for that matter, attending to their children until that child is school age. And it certainly is not "ABNORMAL" to mother one's children until they come to that age...and that age is NOT two, or three or even four for that matter. School age is FIVE in this country, regardless of what one HAS to do because one HAS to work, or what one CHOOSES to do because one desires freedom. I happen to LOVE being with my children and find it kind of offensive that people who are DIFFERENT than the average Jane Doe should be considered NOT NORMAL...

My sons, the autistic ones, cannot be FORCED to be "socialized". They seem to like who they are and they do not seem to want to be somebody else, and frankly, I want them to be who they ARE and to be all that they can be...but if that is not NORMAL according to the social norms being discussed in this thread, then what does that mean? Does it mean I am a bad parent because I have difficult circumstances and do the best that I can with it? Does it make me NOT NORMAL because we have NOBODY as far as family support? And does it make my children unfortunate because they have absolutely no desire to "socialize"? They are busy, and they are happy. Beyond that...

I don't like this thread...IT is implying that one who does not "fit" these criteria of what is NORMAL must therefore be INADEQUATE and that certainly is an unfair and MOST biased assumption. There are exceptions and there are exceptional circumstances. I KNOW...I have lived within those exceptions for the past 12 years and continue to do so today. Maintaining many friendships in the midst of what we have endured and making playdates on a regular basis would have been impossible. We do have some friends who have on ocassion brought their children over to play through the years, and as I said, they have had one another, and we have taken them to the park, etc, but not like every day or even every week. We have a tough schedule even supporting all of these children, and for 7 months out of the year my husband works 7 days a week and then 4 days a week the other 5 months on his "winter job". We have a large home, a large yard, a garden, pets, appointments galore (dentists, doctors, specialists) and there are not hours in the day to do all of what everyone here has been discussing.

I wonder back in the "good ole days" they worried so much about "playdates" and the like, or if it was more about making certain that everyone was fed, clothed, housed, kept warm, and had their needs provided for?

God, I WISH my life was such that playdates for my children was one of my PRIORITIES. That must be nice...I wish...

What IS normal again?

Hope I didn't offend you magic-cat. You have your hands full with 6- 2 of which are special needs and no extended family to help. Totally different situation from mine, and especially Casey's with only children, and Casey had her parents as built-in baby-sitters. Casey had no excuse for not taking her to the park regularly or playgroups, storytimes, or anything kid-related. Meeting up with her friends older children didn't cut it for Caylee in my book.
P.S. I do have an idea what you are dealing with, I have two very good friends with autistic children.

 

[magic-cat]

Hope I didn't offend you magic-cat. You have your hands full with 6- 2 of which are special needs and no extended family to help. Totally different situation from mine, and especially Casey's with only children, and Casey had her parents as built-in baby-sitters. Casey had no excuse for not taking her to the park regularly or playgroups, storytimes, or anything kid-related. Meeting up with her friends older children didn't cut it for Caylee in my book.
P.S. I do have an idea what you are dealing with, I have two very good friends with autistic children.

Not in the least LinaSK...

I should have written this over in the rant thread. I know when I only had my "normal" children things were quite a bit different and we DID do many things such as going to the park and going to visit people with kids...and I know Casey's situation was worlds apart from my own and she DIDN'T have any exceptional circumstances that would have impeded her along the path of keeping Caylee well engaged...Please forgive me if I was obtuse! I have had a particularly difficult week to ten days and am just venting I guess...I know I am not Casey and we have entirely different circumstances...but I do still stand by the fact that our society is programming us to leave our children with strangers younger and younger and I do not agree that is is the most suitable thing to do if one of the parents is able to give the care. Thank you though for your kind and sympathetic words...You don't know how much that means to me. :blowkiss:

 

[alphaville]

Hope I didn't offend you magic-cat. You have your hands full with 6- 2 of which are special needs and no extended family to help. Totally different situation from mine, and especially Casey's with only children, and Casey had her parents as built-in baby-sitters. Casey had no excuse for not taking her to the park regularly or playgroups, storytimes, or anything kid-related. Meeting up with her friends older children didn't cut it for Caylee in my book.
P.S. I do have an idea what you are dealing with, I have two very good friends with autistic children.

I think there are many reasons in which KC can be labeled a bad mother. Not taking your 2 year old to story time is not one of them. I think looking to her lack of socialization is grasping at straws.

Like I said earlier, my 11 year old didn't have play dates /little friends when she was young. I wasn't a bad mother for it nor was my daughter damaged from it. She's a perfectly normal 11 year old who goes to the mall with friends, has sleep overs, etc etc. Actually, she's way more outgoing that I am and I had neighbor friends from birth. I'd say her social skills are 10xs better than mine.

The only reason I am taking my son to story time is to get out of the house! I don't expect to make friends with anyone for his sake. If it happens it happens.

Personally, after reading some of the replies here, I am kind of weirded out by the fact that so many people think 2 year olds should have a ton of play friends.

 

[icherish]

I understand the concerns in the first post, but think they would have been premature, were Caylee still alive. Two-year-olds quite often don't have much social life outside the family--it's not atypical, and it's not unhealthy. Preschool and daycare usually do mark the introduction to "outside" socialization, and many children do not start preschool until they are mid-3s to 4s.

Toddlers don't really play together--they parallel play. Missing out on this does not delay a child, really, in terms of social development.

Being taken to the grocery store by grandparents, swimming, going for walks and saying hi to the neighbors, etc--all of those things helped provide what a very small little girl needed. There's no reason to think that her social needs were not met; she was loved, and that is what mattered.

You summed it up perfectly, ITA. :clap:

 

[icherish]

Perhaps she was a vegetarian. The A's said she loved green beans. But then again....I never saw a pic of that either. Hmmm. Perhaps they were lying for some sinister reason. (Hope you can hear my sarcasm....LOL).:crazy:

Loud and clear. :blowkiss:

 

[icherish]

Magic, my youngest has autism, I hear you!

"Normal" is a relative term, and is not to be taken for granted. Especially when you have to struggle to find it. :blowkiss:

 

[magic-cat]

Magic, my youngest has autism, I hear you!

"Normal" is a relative term, and is not to be taken for granted. Especially when you have to struggle to find it. :blowkiss:

It is nice to have someone who understands...

I have thought it over and debated it with my 17 year old who has informed me that my situation is unique because I have OTHER children whom the children can "socialize" with and that she believes when SHE has a child that she will actively seek "play-dates" for said child, I am thinking perhaps I am, ummm, over 40 and seeing things a bit differently than perhaps a younger generation. I just did want to make the point that this "rule" could not apply on a "blanket" basis, because there are us exceptions to the rule...as usual.

AND

I did not mean to derail the thread...well, at first I did, but then I felt better after thinking about it and discussing it and seeing some others felt the same way...

SO

if anyone cares to continue discussing the intricacies of Caylee's 2 year old "play life" then by all means, Carry on!

 

[OneLostGrl]

Hmmmm....NORMAL...what IS that? What does that MEAN?

NORMAL???

Normal to whom?

In MY home I have had six children two of whom are autistic. And I can tell you this-NOTHING is NORMAL...I actually have come to despise that particular word...NORMAL...just another NORMAL day...

There is no such thing in MY world.

When you have children with special needs NORMAL goes out the window completely and you have to find a new normal for US place to abide. Having NO familial support system at all, and I mean NONE-not my parents and not my husband's parents and NO aunts or uncles or anyone like that we have pretty much had only US to depend upon and have managed quite nicely I think...although...

there was that SEVEN YEARS when my husband and I did not ever one single time leave our home TOGETHER at the same time ALONE without our children. We had NOBODY but us...

So, in the scheme of things, does that make us ABNORMAL?
I would guess so...

BUT-
My children have had a rainbow of crayons and chalk and paint and papers of every sort. They have had books that would fill a library and legos, and duplos and mega-blocks and barbies and kitchens and lovely rooms to live their lives in. They have had ANYTHING that ANY child could want-games and game systems, phones, ipods, computers, their own rooms, TV's and Dvd players in their rooms. They have had costumes galore and they have run like the wind when it is warm enough to go outside and we do every single day WITH THEM. They have had swingsets and pools and sandboxes and tunnels. They have had one another so they always HAD someone to socialize with. They have had US and we were there to play with them just as if we were kids ourselves and still do.

I find it odd that people think it is NORMAL to take children to strangers to be cared for and we call this "socialization" when in fact, what it actually is, in reality, is just a glorified baby-sitting situation. There is not one thing wrong with a mother or a father for that matter, attending to their children until that child is school age. And it certainly is not "ABNORMAL" to mother one's children until they come to that age...and that age is NOT two, or three or even four for that matter. School age is FIVE in this country, regardless of what one HAS to do because one HAS to work, or what one CHOOSES to do because one desires freedom. I happen to LOVE being with my children and find it kind of offensive that people who are DIFFERENT than the average Jane Doe should be considered NOT NORMAL...

My sons, the autistic ones, cannot be FORCED to be "socialized". They seem to like who they are and they do not seem to want to be somebody else, and frankly, I want them to be who they ARE and to be all that they can be...but if that is not NORMAL according to the social norms being discussed in this thread, then what does that mean? Does it mean I am a bad parent because I have difficult circumstances and do the best that I can with it? Does it make me NOT NORMAL because we have NOBODY as far as family support? And does it make my children unfortunate because they have absolutely no desire to "socialize"? They are busy, and they are happy. Beyond that...

I don't like this thread...IT is implying that one who does not "fit" these criteria of what is NORMAL must therefore be INADEQUATE and that certainly is an unfair and MOST biased assumption. There are exceptions and there are exceptional circumstances. I KNOW...I have lived within those exceptions for the past 12 years and continue to do so today. Maintaining many friendships in the midst of what we have endured and making playdates on a regular basis would have been impossible. We do have some friends who have on ocassion brought their children over to play through the years, and as I said, they have had one another, and we have taken them to the park, etc, but not like every day or even every week. We have a tough schedule even supporting all of these children, and for 7 months out of the year my husband works 7 days a week and then 4 days a week the other 5 months on his "winter job". We have a large home, a large yard, a garden, pets, appointments galore (dentists, doctors, specialists) and there are not hours in the day to do all of what everyone here has been discussing.

I wonder back in the "good ole days" they worried so much about "playdates" and the like, or if it was more about making certain that everyone was fed, clothed, housed, kept warm, and had their needs provided for?

God, I WISH my life was such that playdates for my children was one of my PRIORITIES. That must be nice...I wish...

What IS normal again?

Ain't no snipping this post!!

You go, Girl!! :dance:

 

[OneLostGrl]

It is nice to have someone who understands...

I have thought it over and debated it with my 17 year old who has informed me that my situation is unique because I have OTHER children whom the children can "socialize" with and that she believes when SHE has a child that she will actively seek "play-dates" for said child, I am thinking perhaps I am, ummm, over 40 and seeing things a bit differently than perhaps a younger generation. I just did want to make the point that this "rule" could not apply on a "blanket" basis, because there are us exceptions to the rule...as usual.

AND

I did not mean to derail the thread...well, at first I did, but then I felt better after thinking about it and discussing it and seeing some others felt the same way...

SO

if anyone cares to continue discussing the intricacies of Caylee's 2 year old "play life" then by all means, Carry on!

Hahah- well, at least you got it out, how'd it feel, good?! I hope?!

 

[OneLostGrl]

I think there are many reasons in which KC can be labeled a bad mother. Not taking your 2 year old to story time is not one of them. I think looking to her lack of socialization is grasping at straws.

Like I said earlier, my 11 year old didn't have play dates /little friends when she was young. I wasn't a bad mother for it nor was my daughter damaged from it. She's a perfectly normal 11 year old who goes to the mall with friends, has sleep overs, etc etc. Actually, she's way more outgoing that I am and I had neighbor friends from birth. I'd say her social skills are 10xs better than mine.

The only reason I am taking my son to story time is to get out of the house! I don't expect to make friends with anyone for his sake. If it happens it happens.

Personally, after reading some of the replies here, I am kind of weirded out by the fact that so many people think 2 year olds should have a ton of play friends.

ITA- seems society goes waaay overboard. It's a lot of stuff to be expecting of a 2 year old child! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way!

 

[Ripley007]

Caylee's apparent lack of playmates always bugged the crap out of me till I relized that my second child (DD) didn't have any till she was 22 months old. My son, born earlier, had playmates since birth, but that was due to the neighborhood we lived in when he was very young.
I think Caylee's age makes her tragic, senseless death even more painful because she was just approaching such a cute and significant age. 3-4 year olds are among the most precious...Old enough to communicate their wonders with the world, young enough not to be cynical or smart off...
If KC was TRUELY reading up on the experts opinions of "terrible two's" she no doubt read that just beyond this horizon, lie a beautiful time/age with her child. She never Caylee the chance.

 

[fay]

quote "Originally Posted by FightTheOstrich
right, i think you misinterpreted what i said. since Caylee wouldn't have had the fine motor skills to color in the lines, she should not have been given coloring books. at least this is what i learned when i studied early childhood development in relation to art. when i see parents of young children purchasing coloring books for their toddlers, i just want to smack them out of their hands. the other thing that drives me nuts, when children make turkeys out of their hands. let them draw a turkey, let them use their imagination. who cares if it looks like a turkey.
of course she would have needed help getting dressed but what two year old doesn't want to pick out what she is going to wear???? '

I hope your kidding, because this is the craziest thing I've heard.
I bring my kids to the swimming, they are not Phelps, should I not let them swim?
I let them use play doh, they are not Michalangelo, should I stop them?
Also my oldest drives, she is not Jeff Gordon, maybe I should take away her license.
Who ever taught you this nonsense needs their teaching license yanked!

s

 

[Disguiseduser0308]

I wanted to mention this in my previous post but it should probably said now. Decisions mothers (parents) make for their children can be very personal. There is no right or wrong here (play dates vs familial socialization). Just like the choice to breastfeed or bottle feed, this area is one where we need to respect one another.

There is no right or wrong, only what is right for your family and/or financial situation.

 

[magic-cat]

I wanted to mention this in my previous post but it should probably said now. Decisions mothers (parents) make for their children can be very personal. There is no right or wrong here (play dates vs familial socialization). Just like the choice to breastfeed or bottle feed, this area is one where we need to respect one another.

There is no right or wrong, only what is right for your family and/or financial situation.

BRAVO!:dance:

 

[magic-cat]

Ain't no snipping this post!!

You go, Girl!! :dance:

Thanks for the support!:blushing:

Hahah- well, at least you got it out, how'd it feel, good?! I hope?!

Good-yes, very good...and then...a little regret for having ranted outside of the rant thread...but just a little...

ITA- seems society goes waaay overboard. It's a lot of stuff to be expecting of a 2 year old child! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way!

You are not alone...

 

[AZRiverRat]

Hmmmm....NORMAL...what IS that? What does that MEAN?

NORMAL???

Normal to whom?

In MY home I have had six children two of whom are autistic. And I can tell you this-NOTHING is NORMAL...I actually have come to despise that particular word...NORMAL...just another NORMAL day...

There is no such thing in MY world.

When you have children with special needs NORMAL goes out the window completely and you have to find a new normal for US place to abide. Having NO familial support system at all, and I mean NONE-not my parents and not my husband's parents and NO aunts or uncles or anyone like that we have pretty much had only US to depend upon and have managed quite nicely I think...although...

there was that SEVEN YEARS when my husband and I did not ever one single time leave our home TOGETHER at the same time ALONE without our children. We had NOBODY but us...

So, in the scheme of things, does that make us ABNORMAL?
I would guess so...

BUT-
My children have had a rainbow of crayons and chalk and paint and papers of every sort. They have had books that would fill a library and legos, and duplos and mega-blocks and barbies and kitchens and lovely rooms to live their lives in. They have had ANYTHING that ANY child could want-games and game systems, phones, ipods, computers, their own rooms, TV's and Dvd players in their rooms. They have had costumes galore and they have run like the wind when it is warm enough to go outside and we do every single day WITH THEM. They have had swingsets and pools and sandboxes and tunnels. They have had one another so they always HAD someone to socialize with. They have had US and we were there to play with them just as if we were kids ourselves and still do.

I find it odd that people think it is NORMAL to take children to strangers to be cared for and we call this "socialization" when in fact, what it actually is, in reality, is just a glorified baby-sitting situation. There is not one thing wrong with a mother or a father for that matter, attending to their children until that child is school age. And it certainly is not "ABNORMAL" to mother one's children until they come to that age...and that age is NOT two, or three or even four for that matter. School age is FIVE in this country, regardless of what one HAS to do because one HAS to work, or what one CHOOSES to do because one desires freedom. I happen to LOVE being with my children and find it kind of offensive that people who are DIFFERENT than the average Jane Doe should be considered NOT NORMAL...

My sons, the autistic ones, cannot be FORCED to be "socialized". They seem to like who they are and they do not seem to want to be somebody else, and frankly, I want them to be who they ARE and to be all that they can be...but if that is not NORMAL according to the social norms being discussed in this thread, then what does that mean? Does it mean I am a bad parent because I have difficult circumstances and do the best that I can with it? Does it make me NOT NORMAL because we have NOBODY as far as family support? And does it make my children unfortunate because they have absolutely no desire to "socialize"? They are busy, and they are happy. Beyond that...

I don't like this thread...IT is implying that one who does not "fit" these criteria of what is NORMAL must therefore be INADEQUATE and that certainly is an unfair and MOST biased assumption. There are exceptions and there are exceptional circumstances. I KNOW...I have lived within those exceptions for the past 12 years and continue to do so today. Maintaining many friendships in the midst of what we have endured and making playdates on a regular basis would have been impossible. We do have some friends who have on ocassion brought their children over to play through the years, and as I said, they have had one another, and we have taken them to the park, etc, but not like every day or even every week. We have a tough schedule even supporting all of these children, and for 7 months out of the year my husband works 7 days a week and then 4 days a week the other 5 months on his "winter job". We have a large home, a large yard, a garden, pets, appointments galore (dentists, doctors, specialists) and there are not hours in the day to do all of what everyone here has been discussing.

I wonder back in the "good ole days" they worried so much about "playdates" and the like, or if it was more about making certain that everyone was fed, clothed, housed, kept warm, and had their needs provided for?

God, I WISH my life was such that playdates for my children was one of my PRIORITIES. That must be nice...I wish...

What IS normal again?

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

A little OT, but when my youngest son was in kindergarten, the teacher gave them a project that required him to cut shapes out of paper. He came home that day with a reverse mohawk and a note saying "He decided to cut his hair instead of doing his work today". LOL! I had no idea those safety scissors were so sharp.....It looked like he had used a razor and it was centered perfectly on his head!

I got a pic of it and he was SO mad at me!!! I deleted the pic but the devil in me wishes I still had that photo today!!!