I must have "MOM SCHMUCK" written across my forehead.

This weekend, I have faced the following quandaries.

My daughter's friend slept over. I made it really clear we would be going to church that evening, and we're in the car ready to go and the girl didn't have any shoes. On further questioning, not only did she not leave the shoes in the house, or forget to bring them, she didn't have any shoes period. I know I live in Kentucky, but still, what parent doesn't even bother to go to the Dollar store and get their kid a pair of flip-flops? We don't live on the side of a mountain, as you might be imagining right about now, but in a town. We have stores. There's a Dollar store within walking distance. Well, maybe not within walking distance if you don't have shoes, it's about two miles.

The same mother just never came to get her child the next morning. It is now 1pm. I'm wondering if I'm expected to feed her lunch. The mother never even called or discussed the sleepover with me. Of course, their phone is out of minutes, but it seems like it would be worth a walk over since we just live down the block.

Another girl has called about five times this morning, asking to come over. My daughter doesn't really like her, and we already had three girls here, so I suggested if she called again not to pick up the phone. This same child has called and left nine messages on our answering machine when we weren't home. I don't feel eight-year-old children should be allowed to pester people this way. Approximately five minutes after we let the phone ring without pickup, the child was dropped off at our house with no confirmation whether it was okay or not.

Now I know all of this is my fault. I should put my babysitting rates on the door, or simply say no. But I have to wonder why I would never do these kinds of things, and other parents appear not to care. I have never just left my kid at someone's house after a sleepover waiting for a phone call to come pick her up. I always verify what time I should come, and leave phone numbers where I can be reached. And I never just drop my child off at a friend's house without talking to the parents about it.

Seriously, they must think I'm a schmuck, and I don't know what to do about it. Maybe I should move.