| When my youngest child was just two years old | | | | night, etc. It is important for kids as they get |
| the children in the neighborhood started coming | | | | older to have a safe place to hangout with friends |
| over. It appeared to be that I was becoming the | | | | so that they don't get into trouble. |
| "hangout" house for the kids in the neighborhood. | | | | I had some of my ten year old daughter's friends |
| What makes the kids gravitate towards one | | | | over to play in a small wadding pool with my |
| home in the neighborhood anyway? Is it the | | | | three year old son. Crazy as it seems those kids |
| house with the most toys? Is it the one with | | | | had a ball and I discovered a lot about what |
| most snacks, what draws kids to certain homes? | | | | makes certain kids tick. In some cases learned |
| Sometimes the kids crave parent involvement | | | | more then I needed or cared to know about their |
| and structure which is sometimes created at the | | | | parents and other personal situations at home but |
| "it" house in the neighborhood. What draws | | | | I was pleased they opened up and felt |
| children to certain houses- I think the kids feel | | | | comfortable at my home. The power of a |
| more comfortable at certain homes and if parents | | | | freezer pop is astonishing, give a child a snack and |
| are an active part of the play date all the better. | | | | provide playtime and they in exchange tell you |
| Kids love involved parents that provide snacks or | | | | their life story. |
| are just there to do crowd control and keep | | | | It is so important to be an active participant with |
| everybody in line so that no one gets hurt. What | | | | you child and their friends. As parents we need to |
| better way to get to know your children's friends | | | | know what is going in their lives. They are faced |
| and develop a mutual respect for each other. A | | | | with so many more challenges and dilemma's then |
| separate play area available that can grow with | | | | we were faced with at their age. It is imperative |
| the kids would be an added plus. What better | | | | to have the door to communication always open |
| way to keep an eye on your own teenager then | | | | so that they feel they could come to you with |
| to have foosball, game table, big screen movie | | | | anything life has thrown at them. |