Playdates - best keep out of it.

My teens are gone this week leaving the 7 year old with his boring old parents and the trusty mutt. It really is quiet around here. Last night at dinner, he looked from me to the Ball & Chain then back again. "Is this what it's going to be like when they're at college" he asked, with a deep sigh.

This afternoon thank goodness, he has a playdate - a classmate he's very fond of and who's in a different day camp. They were delighted to see each other and set about playing "Action Heroes" before I'd even finished chatting to his mother at the front door. 

"Right", I thought, "I'll just let them get on with it and use the time to blog get things done. Besides, they don't need me to supervise the play at their age."

So I'm sitting here, in the same room but with my back to them. Just listening to them negotiate the game is bloody exhausting. How they haven't punched each other is beyond me but every time I tell them to stop fighting they look at me in disbelief and declare that they're not fighting.

"Now I use my power to destroy the rest of him", says one.
"No, you can't, that's not in the rules", replies t'other.
Quick and loud revision of the rules for the next five minutes.

Then-

"Remember, you can't see through that". (I resisted the temptation to turn round and see what "that" was.)
"I don't care. I can see through it".

Then-

"You can only have two weapons by the way", reminds one.
"No, the other two are extras" replies two.
"Oh yeah, I forgot", says one.

See what I mean? Can you imagine going out for a drink with your mates and having to debate every single thing you say. I would be in tears before the second round.

The boys then decided to move the game upstairs to his bedroom.  As they mounted the stairs I yelled after them - "Try not to fight please".

Came the reply (in unison) - "We'll try".

Oh well. At least they're out of earshot and I can un-hunch my shoulders now!