Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Open House

When I was a kid our door was always open to our friends. I just always remember my mom being very welcoming to who ever wanted to come over. I remember her giving us money to roller skate down to Hansen's Dairy to get pizzas on a summer night.

I remember kids coming in and out. I don't ever remember my mom saying no about having kids over. I know my mom questions my memories from childhood (I question my memories from childhood), but that I remember as clear as it was yesterday. And it is a great memory. One of the things I want to imitate myself, as a mom.

Of course, we lived in a great neighborhood, with lots of kids of all ages. Back in the day when you would play outside until the streetlights came on. Sometimes even later in the summer.

In our neighborhood now, kids are few and far between. At least my kids' age. There are the few who go to after school care behind the house. And, of course, our family friends who live about a block away. But that is pretty much it.

I would like to think, for the most part, I am very open to having kids over. The majority of the time the parents are like "Are you sure it is OK?" First and foremost, it is a distraction for my kids. But, secondly, I would like for my kids to have the same memory as me, of us having an open house for their friends.

Something that I would like to encourage well into their teen years . . .

3 comments:

Katie said...

I'd love to be that kind of mom too, but it's gonna be hard in our neighborhood. We have to do more planning and driving to get the kids over here!

Ann said...

Yeah, we do to sometimes. I don't think there are many "traditional" neighborhoods anymore. What do you think? At least not down here ;)

Katie said...

It's funny because we actually thought we were moving into a neighborhood like that. We knew that there were lots of kids, granted many of them a few years older.

But now that we're here, the kids are nowhere to be found! I think most of the people go away on weekends, cottages? or country club?, anyway they're not outside playing.

And the people that just moved in next door? Only a tiny dog. No children. :(

Perhaps we'll just move to your neighborhood! Any houses up for sale?