Playdates and Band-Aids

Lil-lil has thrown herself into preschool life head first. She loves it. She loves having friends. She loves having a bit of independence away from me, away from her sister. At the moment, the thing she loves best of all is a playdate. Every single afternoon it's: "Can so-and-so come over and play? Puhleeeeeeeeeease?"

It's the first time in her life that she's got to pick her own friends. Not being told: "Hey, look at this kid, he/she is your friend." It's lovely to see her building up all those little friendship groups and negotiating all the social parts of friendship.

This whole playdate thing has opened up a whole new world for me though. Having to spend time with the mums who are essentially strangers. Getting to know them. Navigating a minefield of expectations, rules, etiquette. So far, it hasn't been bad.

The one person who's not too happy about playdates is Goosey. She doesn't like having to share her big sis and the big girls are too 'cool' to play with a two-year-old, so poor old Goose is left with the younger brother. Put out that she's been banned from the big games, she now has to deal with some boy touching her stuff. Let's just say, she's not happy. The last playdate involved me and the other mum pulling the two littlies' brawl apart. There was blood. I was upset and embarrassed.

Thankfully, Lil-lil has chosen friends with really nice parents. There are a couple of mums I hide from during drop-off and pick-up. You know the type who smile sickly at you and call you by the wrong name and 'Oh did you get the latest committee email, Karen? You've been a little quiet haven't you??' Thankfully their kids don't seem to appeal to Lil-lil either.

Best be off, got another playdate to prepare. I'll pack the band-aids this time.