Community Corner
Moms Talk: Taking Advantage of Stay at Home Moms
Check out what other moms in your neighborhood are all steamed up about this week and then put in your two cents!
Question: Since I'm a stay at home mom, my house becomes the "hot spot" for the neighbor kids during the summer. I don't mind the kids coming to play, but when they stay for hours and eat all my food, I begin to get a bit resentful. I'm starting to think their moms think I'm a free babysitter and enjoy having them out of their hair while they're in mine! Help!
Answer: It seems ideal: You move into a neighborhood with tons of kids and think life couldn't get any better ... until all those kids are in your backyard at once. Don't waste any time and talk to the parents at once. Explain (nicely) that you don't mind having the kids over for a bit but that you're busy too and need to get things done. If need be, stop answering the doorbell. Or choose "play hours" from, say, noon to 2 p.m. When time's up, everyone goes home, no questions asked. Casually ask their parents if you could alternate play days at each other's houses. If it seems to be one sided, lay low for a while. They'll eventually find someone else's door to knock on.
