Have you taken the pledge?
I solemnly swear to support any and all playdate events that I am invited to. If I am unable to make said playdate, I will still comment or like the invitation on social media, knowing Facebook will out me as having seen the post but not responding. I will make every effort to attend the playdates I am invited to, because I secretly cry and eat ice cream and question my friendships when people skip out on the playdates I plan.
I, having been appointed an invitee of a playdate, promise not to judge the host on the amount of toothpaste dried on the bathroom sink, and I will overlook dirty dishes in the kitchen, piles of unfolded laundry or areas of clutter in the home. We can attest that you most likely hyper-cleaned before we arrived but, hello, KIDS.
I take an oath to allow each playdate participant to vent, choosing from a variety of topics including (but not limited to): child-rearing, marriage, in-laws, grocery shopping, television binge-watching, spousal arguments, meal recipes, public education, private education, common child feeding practices, bedtime routines, shopping deals and where do you get the big bottles of that wine for so cheap?
When a playdate invitee is struggling - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually - it is the job of remaining invitees to lift him or her up. Listen. Encourage. Advise. Speak positivity and truth into his or her life. Because some days are hard, bad and dark. And in those times, playdates are safe havens and silver linings, just to know you are not alone.
Above all, I vow to not judge my parental friends, while attending playdates or otherwise. Because we're all adults here and we're all struggling in this whole raising small humans thing together. Lord knows it is difficult. And while some people may choose to tackle parenting different than me, I know that we all need to do what we need to do to get through the day. And if that's co-sleeping for you, bottle feeding for you and going to a 9-5 for you, then WORK IT, GIRL. Different strokes for different folks, and we all could use a little support and encouragement.
Last but not least, it's generally agreed upon that coffee and/or wine are acceptable beverages for consumption at playdates.
I solemnly swear.
