Play Dates and Clay

Sunshine's teacher suggested during our conference that she might benefit from play dates with several of her classmates.  She's making friends, but perhaps some time together out of the classroom would help her feel more at ease in the classroom.  Always one to complete my homework, I invited several children to spend the afternoon at our house.  Different afternoons, of course.  I'm not a total masochist.  I did accidently schedule two play dates for the same day.  Luckily I realized it at about 5 am one morning, and had just enough time to correct it.  That's always a fun conversation.  "Gee, I really screwed up dates, and I've double booked my kid.  Do you think we could reschedule?"  

All in all though, the play dates have gone fairly well.  It's strange... having play dates without the other parent there.  Makes me wonder how my kiddo behaves when she goes to someone else's house without me.  Does she demand first choice because she's the guest?  Is she loud?  Is she a picky eater?  How well does she share?  I guess it's  all about chemistry.  She plays really well with some children, not so well with others.  I think you could call it the perfect play date if I don't have to do any mediating; if the girls can occupy themselves with no input from me.  

Sunshine was behaving a little badly during today's play date.  She had very little interest in sharing, and cried several times.  We spent a lot of time talking about how we should behave when we have guests.  How exciting it is to have friends come to our home.  That how sometimes friends can have some really great ideas about what to do.  She wasn't very receptive.  That's when I thought she could use a hug, and realized that she was burning up.   Poor kid finally managed to contract whatever it is that has slowly been making its way through her class.    

I'm exhausted, and I'm so glad that we don't have anymore child-only play dates scheduled.  Hopefully the next few will take place at someone else's house.  I don't have to do carpool tomorrow (don't actually think Sunshine will be attending school tomorrow anyways).  Yippee!  There's no more auction project work for a while.  (What was I thinking, joining the committee to create the classroom auction project?)  I'm not creative.  And, as I discovered this morning, I can't even cut clay evenly.  Thankfully one of the other parents spent most of the morning telling me that I was doing a lousy job cutting the clay.  I'm so happy, because I was actually planning on quitting my day job to devote my life to ceramics.  Now I know I would be wasting my time.  

I would say that I'm looking forward to the weekend because I'm exhausted, but frankly I need the shopping time.  Seven more mornings to holiday shop without Sunshine and counting.  Actually 6, thanks to the awesome fever bug that just bit us.