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The Sleepover that wasn't meant to be

Drac0's picture

SS was with us again this weekend. He asked if one of his buddies can sleep over. DW asked me what I thought, and all I said was this.

“I don’t mind…but it is for ONE night, and one night ONLY! Not all weekend….And I am not driving his friend home either. They find their own way to our place and they find their own way back by noon the following day.”

DW was in full agreement. Twice when SS asked someone to stay over, it somehow ended up being all-weekend affair. From Friday night to Sunday night and I ended up having to drive the friend back ‘because it was late’.

So DW laid out these rules and then asked SS what day he would like his friend to sleep over; Friday or Saturday. SS said he wasn’t sure. DW told SS to apprise us of his decision as soon as possible so we can arrange ourselves accordingly (namely make sure we have enough food to feed his guest).

DW arrives home Friday to find that SS bought his friend over. DW calls me at work (I was just about to leave actually) to let me know.

“Oh so is SS’s friend staying tonight?”I ask.

DW shouts at SS if his friend is staying tonight. SS says he is not sure. I’m getting pissed now. We told SS to let us know of his plans well in advance. How difficult a decision is this to make? Friday night, or Saturday night!

So at supper time, I ask both SS and his friend what their plans are. They say, Saturday….

Later on however, it starts getting late and SS asks if his friend can spend the night. DW says that is fine, but that means his friend must return home tomorrow by noon. SS and his friend say “Okay” and go downstairs to play on the xbox. DW and I watch a movie but DW passes out.

At 10:30pm SS comes upstairs.

“Mom?”

“Your Mom’s asleep SS. What do you want?”

“When does my friend have to leave.”

“Well you better leave now otherwise you will miss the last bus.”

“Oh!? You mean we have to take the bus!?”

“Yes SS. Didn’t your Mom explain this to you?”

SS and his friend mumble and grumble and leave.

A half-hour later (it is now 11:00) the phone rings. It’s SS.

“We’ve been waiting for the bus forever! It hasn’t come yet.”

“Walk to the bus station then.” I said.

“But it’s far!”

“It’s a 10 minute walk SS.”

“I know, but this means when I walk back I will be walking back by myself!”

“Don’t worry SS. You are nice and tall. No one is going to bother you.”

“Can I speak to my Mom?”

“Your Mom is sleeping. I am not waking her.”

“Can you drive us?”

“No SS! We warned you that we are not giving lifts to your friend. Besides, I’ve had a couple of beers by now and I shouldn’t be driving.”

“Okay” SS says and he hangs up.

By the time SS comes back he looks dejected. He doesn’t say a word to me and just shuts himself in his bedroom. The next day SS tells us that his friend is not coming to sleep over Saturday night.

Comments

Drac0's picture

SS's friend's Mom and older sister called the house 4 times to find out what was going on. Neither SS nor his friend had the foresight to make up their mind (they were more concerned with playing on the xbox). I think SS and his friend honestly thought they could get away with staying over the whole weekend.

Drac0's picture

It was up to SS and his friend to decide what they wanted to do and arrange themselves accordingly. They failed to make a decision and then tried to weasel their way into getting the rules broken to accomodate them.

Willow2010's picture

He should have had the boy stay there since that was the plan. Or he should have calls other kids parents to come pick him up.

Willow2010's picture

damn ladyface. calm down lol. . Not sure anyone is making him out to be a bad guy. Some are posting there opinions very respectfully. I actually like Draco and hope he has a thicker skin than to get offended by anyone on this blog. (Unless I missed something).

Maybe he lives somewhere where this is A OK..It would NOT be, where I live.

QueenBeau's picture

Oic, different strokes for different folks. Everyone parents different. I don't think either way is more right or wrong.

I may have went & picked up my kid & told him he can't have friends over again until _______ date because of that fiasco.

I do know parents, good parents, who use natural consequences (like this) to teach as well.

QueenBeau's picture

Adults do as well. So if ss was 20, it really wouldn't be any better. If someone pulls a gun on you, you're helpless regardless of age.

QueenBeau's picture

Yes, age or gender.

Honestly, I got raped at 18. Not when I was walking alone at night. Not when I was out using a fake ID to get into a club. Not when I was 16 pretending to be 21 (I was a hot mess as a kid, please don't judge me for it now).

When I was at my friends house, at a party, with all people I knew. My parents tried to 'protect' me from all the things that could happen at the placess I snuck out to (clubs, etc) but I got raped at my friends house that they let me go to all the time.

I carried pepper spray & a small knife to the club. I should have done it at my best friend's house. I was always so scared of strangers. No stranger ever tried to harm me.

-shrugs-

I knwo it's not the same for everyone. i know their are cases where strangers do harm people, adults & children. I know. I also know that car wrecks kill people every day. I still drive.

QueenBeau's picture

Ain't it the truth?!

My parents were stirct on me. no way would I be allowed to walk to a bus stop alone at 11 at 14. But little did the know at 15 I was sneaking out & walking about 1/2 mile in the dark no street lights back road to meet my bf & walk him to our house & sneak him in. They would have never known what happened or where I was if they woke up & I wasn't there

Nothing bad ever happened when I was a stupid hood rat. Got to college & started doing better & BAM.

Drac0's picture

> I can't tell you how many times I was approached as a kid at the bus stop on the way to school. <

Oh do tell! Cuz I can guarantee you I got you beat! I went to a private school. Wore a blazer and a tie every single damn day fpr FIVE YEARS!!! I got approached by EVERYBODY!!! Homeless people, drug pushers, prostitutes, bullies, little old ladies wanting to give me some candy....You name it!!!

MamaFox's picture

I walked three miles to and from school everyday from the time I was 9 until I bought my bike and rode that until I bought myself a car.

In rush hour traffic in the middle of town no less.

Unfreakingreal's picture

Total kid tactic. Wear you down till you give in. Good for you for sticking to your guns.

tabby yabba do's picture

Eek, isn't he just 13, almost 14? And he's out after 10:30pm without adult supervision? Lucky he didn't get a curfew ticket (or worse) - although that's on DW if he had. Smh.

QueenBeau's picture

I think it depends on where he is. Where I live, there is no curfew. When I was growing up in another city, the curfew was 11.

QueenBeau's picture

I think it's good you stuck to your guns. I hear what others say about not being ok witht heir kid walking to the bus stop so late, but I know in my neighborhood I would totally do this to teach the boy a lesson. We live in a very safe area & kid has a cell phone, so I wouldn't worry. If I were worried I would even go as far as driving past the bus stop to make sure they were ok, but they WOULD ride that bus.

I also think it's weird that his friend's parents let him say "uhhh idk" until after 11 PM & still didn't come to pick him if. If it were my child & I called & he said he didn't know, I'd talk to the parents & probably decide for him.

JustAgirl42's picture

A cell phone won't help if you're being attacked...no time to pull it out, dial, and talk to someone.

Jsmom's picture

I know I live in the suburbs, but the idea of these kids walking alone at night, freaks me out. My SS15 gets in an Xbox trance with his friends, but rarely does it affect us. He does his gaming at a friends house. Rule is that you have to tell us by 9:30 if we have to come get you.

Willow2010's picture

I think it is good you stood your ground. But "I" would totally NOT let my kids out walking to a bus station at that time of night.

What did DW have to say about it?

zerostepdrama's picture

My thoughts too Willow.

And I too am curious as to what DW had to say about it.

Is this something normal for him? Being at the bus stop/station at around 10 or 11?

Unfreakingreal's picture

My son 16, 6' 3" - 190lbs and I don't trust ANYONE. He tells me I am a worry wart. I agree. I worry about friends, their parents, strangers, peers, coaches, everything & everyone.
If I could put him in bubble wrap, I freaking would. I live in a place that is so safe, that most people never lock their cars or doors. Yet, I am always in fear. Not too long ago, I saw a woman on tv get brutally beaten by an intruder, in the middle of the day, in her posh, beautiful suburban neighborhood, while her baby watched.
No one is safe, no neighborhood is safe these days. Times have changed. I would NOT let my son walk anywhere at that hour. I just don't.

Unfreakingreal's picture

I lock everything too. I am actually getting an alarm system installed soon too. I'd rather be safe than sorry. As far as Draco's experience with this dilemma, I probably would have called a cab for the boy and taken it out of Skids allowance. We live in a very poorly lit suburban area. It is DARK as heck around there after hours. I wouldn't have been at peace with my child walking back alone from the bus depot.

Drac0's picture

I'm notorious for not locking the front door. DW chastises me about it, but we do have a dog that barks at his own farts (I'm not kidding) so if anyone enters our house unnanounced, we will know about it.

Drac0's picture

Gosh, I leave my computer for an hour and there is a veritable explosion of comments.

I'll see if I can address all comments here:

1) On the issue of curfew, we have none...per se. Our neighborhood has some by-laws but they are not strictly enforced. So while there is no curfew, it is illegal for anyone to be loitering after 11:00 at night. No motorcycles/mopeds are allowed navigating the residential streets past 10:30pm (to keep the noise polution down). If a minor is out past 11:00, the police may stop them, ask them what they are doing, look at ID, etc and then tell the person to go straight home. That's about it. My neighborhood is a suburb. I've lived here all my life and it is pretty safe. SS has been out late at night twice. So neither DW nor myself have any qualms about him being out and about past sunset. SS has a cell phone, a bus pass and he knows the neighborhood well enough to find his way back home.

2) What did DW say when she found out? Well as soon as DW woke up I told her what was going on. She just rolled her eyes, shook her head and went back to sleep. The next day she asked SS if his friend made it home okay. SS said yes. DW then gave SS the lecture on the importance of planing ahead. It is NOT DW nor my responsibility to cater to SS changing whims. SS and his friend *could* have decided to just spend the night but they chose not to thinking they can get a mile out of the inch we were giving them. It worked for them once before and we told them it wasn't happening again.

3) SS's friend's Mom doesn't have a car. SS's friend's older sister does which is why she called twice to find out if he needed to be picked up. SS's friend said "I dunno", so they got fed up and left him to find his own way back.

On a personal note, I think a lot of us may have been tainted with watching way too many episodes of Dexter, Criminal Minds and Fox News. Pedophiles, serial killers and rapists were just as prevalent when I was a child as they are now. The only difference is, we are more aware that these monsters exist. Back in my day, as kids we would walk for a mile to wait at the school bus by ourselves. Now days, school bus stops are just a few paces from the houses where you live but there here are an equal number of parents as kids waiting at the bus stop. Why? There really is no need for it. The danger of being abducted was just the same then as it is now. And as far as I know, there have been no kidnappings, abductions in my neighborhood. There have been some break-ins and stolen bikes, but even that is rare. I don't fault any parent for hovering to ensure their child stays safe, but my parents taught simply taught me to be aware of my surroundings and adjust my behavior. My Dad hails from a country where you couldn't walk 20 feet from your house without encountering a bully, a pickpocket, and a gypsy who think you're an easy mark. Dad taught me what to do, and what not to do when out in public late at night and it works. I teach my children the same thing.

Drac0's picture

I don't understand your question. If I say no, does this mean I should buy SS a gun? I taught SS to be aware of his surroundings. SS knows karate, but that doesn't mean dick if you are facing the unknown. You keep your wits about you. So I don't understand the point of your question. If confronted by something or someone you don't know, you don't stand and fight, you run. Which is exactly what I would do.

However the likelyhood of being in a confrontation like that is about the same as being kidnapped by aliens. Don't worry, I got SS an aluminum cap to keep his brain from being scanned.

Drac0's picture

The reason why your question doesn't make sense, is that there are no constraints to the limitless possibilities of what *could* happen and I see the intent of your question as simply fear mongering. You ask if my SS can defend himself. "Against what?" I ask. A car swerving off the road? A pickpocket? A discarded banana peel? A bully armed with a knife? A bully armed with a gun? A whole gang of bullies? A roving band of gypsies? What is it that I and my SS should be so afraid of?

Drac0's picture

>I would guess his biofather would be pissed if he knew you did this.<

So? Donkeykong is pissed ALL. THE. TIME.

It wouldn't matter if I bought his kid ice cream and gave him a full ride into college or if I chopped off SS's limbs and threw him into rush our traffic!

I refuse to coddle SS. He's not a child anymore and I refuse to treat him as such. He's old enough to figure out something as complicated as which day his friend wants to sleep over.

Drac0's picture

Oh so, aswang was trying to illustrate that the way I parent SS is different than how I parent my bios? Oh that's rich! Considering the fact that DW will always undermine any form of parenting I bring to the table to asuade her guilt over SS. But that is a whole other issue.

Drac0's picture

Why? Using the example in your comment, male and female bystanders are equal opportunity victims of drunk drivers.

Drac0's picture

You do realize my BD is 2 right? So what is the point in me listing rules for a possible future circumstance to safeguard my daughter against an imagined threat that you may or may not agree with?

fakemommy's picture

Your previous blog...............................

Drac0's picture

Smile
fakemommy, as my old professor used to say, "I owe you a cigar!" LOL!

Willow2010's picture

Well as soon as DW woke up I told her what was going on. She just rolled her eyes, shook her head and went back to sleep.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think she may be the odd woman out. Most mothers would have probably freaked. As you can tell. lol.

Did he get in any trouble for his little stunt?

Drac0's picture

You mean apart from a stern talking to? Nah. Having to walk that distance at night was punishment enough.

moeilijk's picture

If I really thought this was such a dangerous situation, I would have not allowed the teens to leave after whatever time.

Where I live, this would not have been more dangerous than if done in the daytime. High crime areas are high crime areas all day long. And my area is well-lit so the dark is no place to hide.

Drac0's picture

LOL!

Aswang...I do not mean to make fun, I really don't.... but you sorta remind me of the father of one of my college buds.

I would meet up at his house from time to time and when we wanted to go out he would ask his Dad for the car. His Dad ALWAYS had some warning to tell him "Be careful! It is raining and slippery outside!" Or "Be careful, it is dark out there and the street lights on Elm street are out"...There was always some hazzard out there in some way shape or form.

Well I was at my friend's house on a sunny bright Sunday morning in the summer. My friend asked his Dad if we could borrow the car to go to the tennis courts. His Dad, seemingly bereft of any potential hazzards to warn us about said "Be careful! There are Nazis out there!"

Oh my god, I don't think I ever laughed so hard!!!!

Drac0's picture

>Weren't you the one that wrote the blog about leaving your bedroom door open while you & DW were having sex so you can hear your bios in case they wake up?<

Yes. What is your point? BD still wakes up and cries at night. So I have calm her down and get her to go back to sleep. Eventually, I won't be doing that anymore.

Drac0's picture

And I will! I should probably make a seperate blog post of the teachings my Dad taught me because they are the same things I plan on teaching (or have taught) to my kids.

Drac0's picture

>There is so much fear mongering going on in this society, about everything, its the way of our country now. Sad really....<

I agree. It's sad. Like I said, the facts and figures about the violent crimes (rape, kidnapping, assault) hasn't changed much in the last 50 years(and in some cases have gone down) in my neck of the woods. The only difference is, more people are aware that these things happen. So, I guess I am an unfit parent because I refuse to be afraid of what *could* happen? I mean, by that logic, my Dad should still be driving me back and forth to work every day for fear that someone might do some mean and nasty things to me.

Drac0's picture

>I can just see this skid texting while crossing a street at night with his ear plugs on,<

STOP!!!

I don't allow ANYONE in my family (and I even stopped DW) to walk around outside in public with their ear plugs on. You won't even catch me jogging in the mornings with ear plugs on. I am so VERY against this. Why deprive oneself of one of your senses that could warn you from impending danger? That's lesson #1 that my Dad taught. Always keep your wits about you!

amber3902's picture

Wow, I'm surprised. Draco, I haven't been keeping up with your blogs, but this boy can't even remember to wear socks and still bursts into tears yet he's mature enough to walk home alone at night? Maybe subconsciously you were hoping he'd get kidnapped? I'm joking!

And I'm even MORE surprised that Mrs. Draco didn't wail that her poor precious widdle baby had to walk all the way home by himself.

Drac0's picture

There is still a very big disparity between what I believe SS is capable of doing/remembering for himself and what my DW believes that SS is capable of doing for himself.

On the issue of finding his way around the neighborhood at night, DW and I are in 100% agreement with each other. I think this is due to an incident that happened last year. Long story short, SS asked to "hang out" with some friends after school one time. I was against it, but DW was for it. SS assured DW that he could find his way home.

Ok, fine.

So SS took the bus, but didn't realize that the rush hour bus route schedule was different than off-peak hours. SS wound up at the bus station at 9:00pm and called DW in a panic begging her to come pick him up. DW said no. I was out and she wasn't about to leave BS and BD in the house alone. SS came home crying. He hadn't asked to hang out with friends after school but he knows the bus schedules a lot better now.

Drac0's picture

In my neck of the woods, there is no curfew. No one is allowed loitering past 11:00pm. So kids (meaning teens) sitting in a bus shelter waiting for a bus to take them home. That's okay as the kids are in transit. Kids sitting in a park laughing, tossing a football around? That's not okay.

Drac0's picture

>I wouldn't let any human that I felt was incapable of even buttering toast walk to a bus stop that late but that's me.<

I love how people hone in on that Smile

SS DOES know how to butter toast, but he still tries to get DW to do it for him. Same thing with cutting pork chops, BBQ chicken, etc. DW still goes in to do it for him because he does that "Poor little helpless me!" routine but she is getting better at telling him "You're not a kid anymore! Knock it off!" but every now and then, I have to intervene.

DW and I both know that SS is capable of navigating through public transit, even at night.

amber3902's picture

Draco, here all this time I thought you were complaining about how inept your SS is, but what you're actually saying is SS's inability to do things is actually a clever ploy to get his mom to do things for him?

If that's the case, then I guess I've totally misinterpreted the point of your blogs.

Drac0's picture

I am pretty sure there is a bit of "learned helplessness" at play too, but yeah, at this stage, because SS has been enabled for so long, he uses this ploy to get his Mom to do things for him.

Tuff Noogies's picture

this "learned helplessness" is pathetic- and sadly WAAAAYYYYY to common nowadays! i like what crazy train said that he's teaching YOU that if you give him enough rope, he'll figure it out on his own (when mommy's not swooping in to cover his ass!)

maybe some of us here would've handled it differnently, but if you and your dw are on the same page with this, it's all good. everybody parents differently.

now, the wishy washy responses and indecisiveness, and trying to drag shit out to get he wants - when you figure out a fix for that, please share!!!

Drac0's picture

Yeah I get that people would have handled this situation differently. I'm not disputing that nor am I saying that my way is the "right" way, but this incident is "typical" SS behavior. He doesn't plan ahead, and then expects DW to swoop in to cover for him.

simifan's picture

Just throwing my 2 cents in, I'm with you Draco. At 14, I would have send SD or DS slithering to the bust stop if they pulled this crap. Goddess knows I traveled all over Philly at 14 . His own neighborhood should be no problem.

Drac0's picture

The thing with my SS is that it happened twice before that he asked for a sleepover and somehow that sleepover got stretched into a whole weekend affair. Friend comes over Friday right after school, stays over the ENTIRE weekend, and I end up having to drive friend back late Sunday night (because there are no more busses). I was pissed when that happened and I explained to DW and SS that that wasn't happening again. A sleepover (to me) means friend comes over in the afternoon, sleeps over and leaves by NOON the next day on his own. I was VERY clear on this. SS and his friend may have heard me, but obviously it didn't sink in. Like I said above, SS was trying to stretch the sleepover into a weekend-long affair....and take it for granted that we would drive his friend home.

Also, as I stated numerous times now, my neighborhood is a suburb that is quite safe. The streets are well lit and SS knows the bus routes quite well. His friend also lives in the same neighborhood. If his friend lived across town or something, the situation would have been different. I would have told the kid to either go home straight after supper, or he could stay over and go home at noon tomorrow.

>I NEVER went to my friends' house again unless I knew I had a ride home. <

This is probably why SS's friend didn't want to come over the next day! LOL