Making Friends

Today, I took Maddy & Mikayla to the park for a play date with a friend of Maddy's from the bus.  This little girl (let's call her Lisa) is in 2nd grade, lives nearby and has taken a liking to Maddy.  Friday afternoon, my cell phone rings.  It's Lisa asking if she can talk to Maddy.  This was the first time she has ever gotten a phone call from a friend.  Maddy kept asking me if Lisa could come over but I haven't met Lisa's Mom yet.  So Lisa puts her Mom on the phone and she & I make a plan to meet at our neighborhood park today. 

I figure, great!  Our girls are friends and practically neighbors we should meet so that they can have play dates at home after school occasionally.  Lisa can come here, Maddy can go there... This is normally how these things work.  At least in my previous experiences.  Today, Lisa came to the park but her Grandma brought her!  Apparently her Mom wasn't feeling well and was at home sleeping?  Lisa has an older sister (middle school) and an older brother (graduated).  So I get the feeling that little Lisa is getting less attention than she deserves.

When we were at the park Lisa asked if she could come over.  I said "No honey, not today but if it's ok with your Mom maybe you can come over next Friday after school.  But I'll still have to talk to your mom about it first ok?"

So now I'm kicking myself.  It's wonderful that Maddy is making friends but I feel like I just opened the biggest can of worms.  Maddy sits next to Lisa on the bus everyday and has given Lisa my cell phone number.  ugh.  (note to self: reconnect land line)  How do I teach Maddy boundaries about handing out a phone number and telling friends "You can come to my house."  Maddy is the friendliest, sweetest little girl... but she's a little naive and doesn't understand that other families are strangers.  How am I supposed to explain to a 6 1/2 year old that she has to be cautious of the friends she makes?

  I know a lot of moms feel like me but what if Lisa's Mom is one of the moms who doesn't?  How will I handle that? Will I be the weird overprotective mom like my Mom was with me?  My children's safety is everything but with family and close friends these issues have never been a concern.  Now that Maddy is in elementary school, I have a new dynamic of parenting to deal with.... friends.