I hate play dates!

This summer I found out there was a little girl that moved in down the street. I had seen her dad walking her to school and she ended up being with my daughter in summer care. The father finally introduced himself and started talking about having play dates with the girls which I reluctantly agreed to. The truth is, not only did I feel uncomfortable with only dealing with the dad (I still have never even seen the mother) but I also don't have any interest in spending my weekend dealing with more children. I let her do it one time then I realized how inconvenient it was as well as the fact that I would have to volunteer my home next time. The father tried to contact me again a few weekends ago and I avoided it like the plague! I was under a lot of stress and the last thing I wanted to do was step outside my house and make nice, forced conversation with a stranger. Unfortunately, this little girl has ended up being in my daughter's class and needless to say seeing her father was a little awkward.

Yes, that sounds horrible. It seems taboo to deny your child more play time than they already have through out the week and I feel like I should make myself fit this "parent mold" that society has made. I don't know what it's like to be in a two-parent household but in my single-parent household it feels like I'm fighting to survive everyday. I'm trying to keep everything together and some days it takes everything for me not to scream.

No, I don't understand the play date thing. I guess I should say I don't understand the play date thing with strangers. I don't mind having my nephew around or hanging out with my friends that have children but, for me personally, spending my Saturday or Sunday making arrangements with someone I don't know sounds horrendous. Maybe it's the fact that it's the father I'm dealing with and have yet to even see the mother around or maybe I'm just a grumpy mom that hates messing up my weekend plans even if sometimes those plans are just taking a nap. I'm sure someone would tell me that I should do it for my daughter but she plays with other kids at school all week long...she's not lacking in the social department...I'm not worried about her development. The weekends are my time to do the things I don't get to do during the weekdays whether it's catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, spending extra time at the gym...it's pretty much time for me with my daughter tagging along.

I don't know about you but I like to have my weekends to myself. In fact, I see too many moms who constantly give up their weekends for their children. I suppose some moms don't mind doing so but I know I'm not alone in wanting to do my own thing a couple days out of the week. I'm not saying ignore your kids on Saturdays and Sundays, I'm just saying that if you have things to do, you shouldn't feel obligated to follow the crowd, give up your time and do the play date thing. Whether you admit it or not, I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. Your kid will survive if he or she doesn't get to hang out with their friends more than they already do at school and they can deal with having to go with you to Walmart. Even if having your child go to a play date gives you some major free time this weekend, it's your turn next weekend and, to me, that hour of free time just isn't worth the chaos I'll have to deal with. I'm glad some parents can handle it but at this point in my life, I am not willing to. Thanks but no thanks.