do you know who your children are playing with?

i wish i could start this off by saying times ain't like they used to be but people i think things are the same, we just hear about a lot more because of the internet and tv and blah blah blah. 

doesn't a lot of responsibility fall upon us, the parents? we have to step up and accept that the buck stops at our door. blake is 10 and goes outside to play without me every day. the rule is he checks in every 30 minutes. he has to play with the 'friends' i know. we have a triangle of homes where us parents know each other. we've spent considerable time with the parents and have been to their homes numerous times. we call these the 'safe houses'. the only houses the kids can go inside. the only peeps he is allowed to talk to. 

i encourage you, mommy, to get to know who your kids are playing with. not just the kiddo, but the mom & dad. where do they work? how do they discipline? do they enforce a bedtime? get to know their parenting style. i  hope that my son's friends have to follow a similar set of rules ya know? i am very blessed to have neighbors i trust. they are registered nurses, paramedics, i just so lucked out! 

it would be easy to send the kids out and not think twice but let's do a little homework first okay? and put those parent's numbers in your cell phone, say hello to them, know who  your kids are with when they enter someone's house.

and to throw this in, while totally off topic, i'm not a professional writer nor do i claim to be. i know i drive you crazy not punctuating and never have quotes in the proper place. the reason? i'm lazy. there. i said it. my mom writes novels and wow reading her books are a beautiful flow of absolute perfect grammar. me, not so much. so i hope you get my message and ignore my awful writing style :) 

i do love all my readers and i love your messages. those of you who write about my awful grammar, i'm not gonna change, at least i don't think i will.  but i love you too :)