Dinner Play Dates

My best friend Anne has three sons roughly the same ages as our three sons. Fortunately, when they were small they enjoyed playing together, so we often traded babysitting. I chuckle at calling it a "play date," which seems so innocent for the phenomenon of six little boys and one mommy spending a winter afternoon together in a tract home.

Our husbands both traveled frequently during the week, and winter nights dragged long after days spent with busy, housebound boys. So Anne and I hit upon a wonderfully uncomplicated weekly routine that went like this:

Anne called at 4:00 pm on Wednesday. "You busy tonight?"

"Nope."

"Bring the boys over at 5:30," she said. Rule Number One: No worrying what the house looks like. Hers was always more picked up than mine, but I got over it and so did she.

"I have a package of hot dogs, buns, some carrots, and chocolate chip ice cream," I offered. Rule Number Two: No cooking or going to the store. We just pooled leftovers.

Rule Number Three allowed me to wear the black sweat pants and turtleneck with holes at the elbows that I'd had on all day.

We would feed the boys, clean up the debris, and then the two of us sat down to hot dogs at Anne's kitchen table, enjoying easy conversation as the boys played.

What a blessing is a friend to be easy with on long winter days and nights!

Beth Lagerborg is the Media Manager at MOPS International.  Learn more about them at www.mops.org.