So it looks like I'll have the opportunity to practice compassion, boundary-setting, patience and a slew of other virtues/skills, I'm guessing. There's a 13-year-old boy in my new condo complex, who apparently has no concept of personal space/privacy. Okay, that's kind of extreme. Basically, he walked right into my place on Saturday evening as the bunch of us were sitting around eating after moving all my stuff. R. walked him through the process of ringing the doorbell, waiting for an answer, and also being told no, but I'm wondering what to do about this sort of thing in the future.

I'm guessing the boy is mildly autistic or something, going by his manner and his lack of normal responsiveness/interaction. But who knows? What I do know is that I don't really feel comfortable having him come over to play with my two-year-old son.

Oh, I didn't mention that? Yeah, his dad told me on Sunday that his son is "dying" to play with my son, and that I should feel free to let my son come over to ask his son to play anytime. Hmm. Part of what bothers me about this is that the dad doesn't seem to see something unusual about a teenage boy playing with a toddler. Clearly there's more to this than meets the eye.

I don't want to be a bitch and tell the kid he can never come over, but I also don't want him just barging into my place (or even onto my deck) repeatedly. Also, I don't want to somehow become an unpaid babysitter for a teenage boy at my house.

*sigh* I'd really envisioned Grant's playmates being his age or close to it. I don't want to alienate people right off the bat at my new place, but there's something about this whole thing that just doesn't sit right with me. R. suggested I have the kid, his dad and grandma (they all live together) over for tea and tactfully find out what's going on. Truth is, I don't even feel like doing that. Perhaps that will change after I get properly settled.

In the meantime, I've sent emails to a few moms on the Matching Moms site, and gotten one response so far from a mom who lives very close by and has a son Grant's age. She also sounds interesting and pleasant, and we plan to meet sometime after she gives birth (any day) to her second son. See, now that all seems normal to me.

Geez. I feel like I'm entering a slightly difficult situation with that kid in my complex. I hope I can handle it gracefully and correctly...

- Beth