It’s your movie and we’re all just playing the part of extras.

We all have expectations for our little ones. Parks, play dates, school, sports, they are all ways in which we attempt to socialize our children. If you are a first time parent you either arrive fully prepared or not prepared at all. Depending on how many children you have, you may arrive fully prepared, or not prepared at all. What I’m trying to say is that it really boils down to the parent. The kids will play. The parents have to choose the way they will socialize with other parents.

What we forget is the reflections of our interactions as examples to our children. Do you tend to be shy and standoffish? Do you show up looking like you just got done from an intense workout but you don’t have a speck of sweat or dirt on you? Are you the working parent in a full office attire? Will you be that parent with a baby strapped to you, another hugging your leg, and your kindergartner vying for his/her share of the goldfish? Are you that parent who comes prepared with a fancy camera and poses your child, taking pictures with every step they make? Or maybe you the parent who sends their kid off to play then finds another parent to share an endlessly shallow conversation about your experiences, success, and knowledge? Who are you trying to convince?