Stunning examples of parenting

Our neighbors had a party today. It was and 11am to 4pm open house/costume party/birthday celebration deal. They home school so wanted to spread the guests out over the day: home schooling friends earlier and regular schooling friends later. AC and I went over around noon and stayed for two hours. We witnessed the end of pumpkin carving, the entire pinata attack, the costume parade and cupcakes. The mom told me that some kids were there without their parents. She said apparently the kids are at the age where some parents just drop 'em off for the day. She and I agreed that was pretty unbelievable.

Around 2 -- three hours into the party -- a mother who'd slowed at the curb to punt her two boys out at the start came back to retrieve them. As the house mom met her at the door, the pick-up mom actually said, "Wow, it sounds like you're running a daycare!" I caught the house-mom's eye and shook my head. Just another lesson to file away for the future.