Play dates

Here is the problem with play dates. The kids talk. To one another. They find out how the other child's mom is so much better than the one they came with.




We were invited to a friends house for brunch last weekend. It was a great time. The food was plentiful, the conversation plentiful and Abby was beyond excited to have a friend her age to play in the snow.

It wasn't until the ride home that I realized the day did not go as smoothly as I thought. Abby: Mom do you know S gets $3 a WEEK.
Me: Really, she gets paid to just be a kid?
Abby: No she has to do chores but they are super easy.
Me: (Silence)
Abby: I need an allowance.
David: Great, start mowing the lawn.
Abby: DAAADDDDD

Honestly, the girl should do chores. We tried the chore chart a few years ago. But it always came back to the question: should she get paid for doing things around the house? And what exactly should a 10 year old be responsible for? Damn where is that parenting manual! Chores to me should be more than emptying her backpack. After all, I explained to Abby that I don't get paid for doing the dishes, so why should she get paid for cleaning her room?

Abby: Because S does.

Great, peer pressure to do chores. Of course it could be worse, I know. 

Damn play date is now going to cost me $3 a week.