The 7 Stages of Having Neighborhood Kids Over

As the mom of a nine-year-old boy, I realize it's odd that I'm only now learning what it's like to have neighborhood kids over. This late development is because my son is a pretty shy kid when it comes to making new friends, but I'm ecstatic to report he's made friends with a neighborhood kid three doors down.

As much as I'm struggling working from home with my two boys this summer, adding a third child into the mix is helping ease their summer boredom. "Neighborhood Kid" (as he shall be named) seems to diffuse the sibling rivalry between my kids, and his novel presence in our home has become a perfectly adequate substitution for my undivided attention.

While I'm thankful for Neighborhood Kid's ability to keep my kids occupied and bring my oldest son out of his shell, I'm learning things about the strangeness of our household that I never realized. Here are the 7 stages I've gone through to deal with having neighborhood kids over:

- By Lori Garcia
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