Milestones

 That time your kid locked the bathroom door and took a shit in the shower 

Birthday politics

We are not close. Not high school friends, not neighbors, we don’t even go to the same church. (I don’t even go to church)

But online, we’re friends. Facebook, mom group, liking each other’s comments, pictures, reposted funny memes about drinking.  I have met you a handful of times, we’ve joked a few times about extra baby weight, maybe thought about hanging out outside of the mom group, maybe not. 

Then I’m invited to your kid’s birthday party. That’s so sweet you thought of me, and my kid. We’d love to go. I think about what your kid would like, maybe give him something that I bought for my kid, but doesn’t need.  What is the consumer surplus on this?  Should I spend $20 maybe $25. I settle for $20. 

We go to the party.  Give our gift. And never see each other again. 

Until I invite you to my kid’s party.  You rsvp. Then drop out the day of.  You don’t come. No reason why. 

Then I get invited to your second kid’s party. 

I’m not here to complain but I need to emphasize why this is strange and off and why in mom politics, it’s not cool. 

Like I get that shit comes up.  Kid’s get sick. Shit goes down, you need to stay home. But, we aren’t friends and this is why. So let’s stop pretending on Facebook.  Let’s stop throwing out invites to so-so people just because they’re in the moms’ group. Let’s say no.  Because I have better things to waste $20 on. I have other things I could be doing or not doing on a Saturday. 

Just pledge that it’s over. That we don’t have to play this game anymore. I don’t hate you. We’re just not friends. 

Why have a land line when I have a cellphone?

One of the first set of numbers I learned was my phone number.  I always had trouble with my zip code.  But my phone number was important.  (Do you even need a zip code anymore, Garmin doesn’t ask for it)

I started thinking about phone numbers recently while I was filling out paper work for my son’s doctor visits.  We have a land line for our business and for our business’s fax machine that is also in our home.  But that causes confusion when the phone is answered “chiropractic clinic, may I help you.”

So I put down my cell phone number as an emergency contact.   My cell phone number that I’ve had for twelve years that has an area code different than the one we live in.  My generation and younger have only had cell phones.  Why use a land line when you’re not guaranteed to be there?  Use a cell phone, it’s on the go.

Then I started thinking about myself when I was in school.  What number would the school use to contact my husband or myself if they needed to?  Would my cellphone be the mecca of all doctor and school calls?  Since our physicians are in the same group as my son’s pediatrician, my husband’s doctor also uses my cellphone as a way to remind him of his appointments.  What happens when my son starts to make friends?  Would they call my cellphone to ask for him?  Do they even have pay phones anymore???

This would be so much easier if he were a cat.  The vet doesn’t call but once a year to remind me he needs a rabies shot, and my cat does not have social calls from other cats in the area wanting him to come out and go to the water park.

A land line can be inconvenient, though.  About twenty dollars a month with unlimited local calling.  It can come in a bundle if you have cable and internet service, but still a cost that is questionable if you’re trying to cut back.  To add a cellphone to your existing mobile contract around $10.

Economically speaking, it may be easier to get an additional cell phone to the mobile contract and keep it at home.  Maybe a cheap “dumb” phone that can be used by everyone in the house for doctor, school and vet calls.

So what is your solution?  If you have multiple people living at one location who do not all have cellphones, like kids who are too young for them, would you add a land line?