Rather than a butterfly. What? Moths are cool too.

So. My wee ones are getting older. And more social. Well, at least the boy.

The girl inherited the nonexistent social gene that her father and I have and isn’t that keen on playing with others. She has a few friends she plays with, and she does *mostly* fine in a group, but seems quite happy to play on her own. She doesn’t share well and tends to get angry if others won’t do as she says. We don’t encourage this behavior and we spend a lot of time trying to teach her how to socialize with others, but at the same time she is who she is and she seems to have a pretty introverted, individualistic personality. Don’t get me wrong, she is a happy kid and by no means shy or quiet. Just, a little frosty. I’ve had the same assessment made of me plenty of times, so perhaps the apple fell not far from the tree.

But the boy, he is another story altogether. He’s a social creature. Happiest surrounded by other kids and with no trouble walking up to the other kids at the park and joining in. By the time we are ready to leave he has 3 new best friends. He has a great little group of friends at school and several good friends outside of school as well. He is starting to get invited to go places and even has some of his little friends phone numbers. (We have yet to let him chat on the phone with anyone but his grandparents. God help me I am just not ready for that.) This is the part that is difficult for me.

I am unsure of the etiquette involved in such invitations. Call me overprotective if you like, but I will not let my child go anywhere with people I don’t know. And that includes a birthday party for a child whose parents I have never met or going over to play at a house I have never been inside. And the thought of sitting at a party for an hour with a bunch of people I have never met makes me break out in a cold sweat. I feel so awkward and worry we are imposing on others. I would love to avoid this part of parenthood, but I know I can’t and that where my daughter is concerned I may have to make even more of an effort to help her along socially.

As I get older, it does get a bit easier. I have some good friends who understand me and who have kids the same age. And I find that I care much, much less what people think of me. THAT is a great feeling. Rejection and awkwardness still sting, but I have the perspective to realize that while oil & water may not mix, they can still appreciate each other.

So, oh wise mama’s… how have you handled your children’s blooming social lives? Do you still think they really should have given you an owners manual before you left the hospital too?