Keeping up the Jones'

So here It is school is almost out and gotta keep the kids amused. That means I will hear all so often "Mom can so and so come over, and can they sleep over" Then I get this uneasy knot in my stomach cause part of me is like sure you can have them over and the other half is like ugh no I do not want no kids over.

Well let me say the reason why I am like sure they can come over is because my kids have some great friends..they are not bad and very respectful to me and I have to let my kids have a social life...ya know. And I cant always have my kids go to their houses and sleep-over and not return the favor. I am the parent who always goes on the rule of equal-ness when it comes to that.

On the other hand the reason for me not wanting kids over is a page long but let me sum it up. My house is small for just the 7 of us how could I possibly have more room for more kids. So that means when my 10 or 15 year old brings someone over then the three little monsters like to be right there with them and they get no privacy which leads to much arguing between everybody. Now in the summertime I can send them outside but here at the Graham house we have no pool, we have no trampoline or do we really even have a swing set. They I get the mom I am bored..there is nothing for me and my friend to do.

So now they want to venture into my house...well guess what kids...there is nothing fun in there either. We have no big screen tv with surround system. We have 1 computer and have no family/game room. My kids hardly have toys..cause what little they have is broke or lost they don't get replaced until Santa gets here.LOL Our living room is not even big enough for all 7 of us to sit in there at one time so not a good place to want to bring your friends. Now they think they can venture to the bedroom...well for one..the rooms are a mess. Partly my fault..cant let the kids take all the blame. See we don't have alot of closet space to fit all the clothes so there is usually a pile of clothes on a dresser or somewhere if I am on a roll with laundry.

We are the minority family it seems like..I hear all the time from the kids wow you should see their bedroom, wow mom they have a huge pool, mom her TV is as big as her wall and yatta yatta yatta!

Now don't get me wrong I would love to have these things for my kids but it takes time and patience. Now the good thing is my kids can entertain themselves without all that and they all play together as some siblings do not these days. See the things my kids miss seeing or hearing from their friends is how they don't even talk to their other siblings...lucky if they even say hi..but all 5 of my kids can run and have lots of fun together in the backyard with just trees and grass.