Making new friends

We've been living at our new home for 2 months now. So, this past weekend, I gave Devin an opportunity to meet some of the neighborhood kids, in hope that we would find someone his age, and he'd have some new friends to play with. So, our first stop was the house behind ours. I've seen the kids in the backyard (I know, I was snooping, lol), and I've noticed they have a set of twin boys who appear to be a tad bit older than Devin (like maybe five) and a little girl. So we went to knock on their door, and I already rehearsed my speech in my head:

Hi, my name is Samantha, this is my son Devin and he's four years old. We just moved in the house behind you, and wanted to introduce ourselves and was wondering if your kids would be interested in playing with Devin every once in a while...

Of course, after replaying my speech in my head over and over, they weren't home. So Devin, true to form, gets upset... where are my new friends mommy? So I remembered that our old next door neighbors from our old neighborhood also moved into this neighborhood, so we decided to walk to their home and see if they were there. They have two boys, one a year older than Devin and one a year younger than Devin. Perfect! So we get to their house, and again they weren't home either. And again, Devin breaks down "mommy, where are my new friends?"

So we head back to the house, feeling totally defeated. I had good intentions, but it seems Devin is all down and out about the fact that we were unsuccessful. As we round the corner to our home, I see three kids outside in the cul-de-sac playing. "There are some friends mommy!" (he calls any little kid a "friend"). So I suggest he go introduce himself. I think it's a great skill to have, to go approach a stranger and introduce yourself to them. I guess I may have been too naive about a four year old doing it though...he goes to the edge of the garage and says "Hi" and waves shyly. Now...imagine, these kids are at least three houses away, deep in the cul-de-sac, so there was no way they were going to be able to hear or see him. So I suggest he walk closer so they can hear him. He walks a couple of steps and says again "Hi" and waves. At this point, I'm laughing inside at myself, cause I'm thinking "how did I think he was going to go up there and just speak to the kids out the blue?"

So, being a total mom, I take him and walk him to where the kids are playing. When I approach the kids, I immediately feel wierd about it, cause I'm a grown woman approaching little kids (how strange that must look-if I was watching I'd be wierded out by some stranger approaching my kids!). So I make it quick and to the point. "Hi, this is Devin, we live right there (and I point to the house), and he's four years old and we are looking for some friends. What is your names?" I let them answer and then ask them their ages. One is 8, one is 6 and one, the little girl, is surprisingly 5. I look around and think to myself, "where is the five year old's parents?" At this point, I already decide that I would never let my child out by himself at that young of an age. Yeah, we live in a gated community, and yeah we are in a cul-de-sac, but I'd still be nervous about it.

So anyway, I continue by telling them if they ever want to play with Devin, they could come over any time and get him. So we cross the street, Devin is super excited :D, and we come back in our home. TEN MINUTES LATER...the kids come ring the doorbell. It brought me back to when I was a kid, all the excitement knowing you had friends outside waiting and wanting to play, lol. Devin gets so excited, I tell him to get his shoes, and we'd go outside for a bit so they could play. Little did I know, I opened up a whole can of worms. First, I'm not comfortable, as mentioned before, with letting him play outside by himself. So I have to bundle me and Alyssa up to join him outside. Second, this kid doesn't know when to say when. So I'm standing out there for hours, watching him play with the kids, just totally excited. Which makes me happy, but man, I could be getting alot done in the house! And holding Alyssa for so long is starting to make my back ache, lol.

So again, about that can of worms I'm opened... the kids have since came over three more times wanting to play with Devin, and I've had to subject myself to hours outside monitoring them, while their parents are inside chilling. Is something wrong with this picture? Should I be okay with him playing outside by himself and just check on him every couple of minutes with my windows WIDE open? That's the inner debate I'm dealing with now. I think he's very aware of strangers and he knows not to go with anyone, but while it is probably cool with him to be independent with going outside alone, I'm not sure I'm ready for it. But there's gotta be another way for him to get his outside play time, and me be able to be inside getting my normal housework duties done. So, after speaking to hubby and my mother, I am going to try it out one day and see how it works. I'm so excited he's elated about having friends, you should see how his eyes light up when he talks about them and what they play, etc. It really makes my heart jump for joy. So we'll see how it goes...