>We waited until Josh was older (6?) before we left him alone at a party.
>That's not to say that we were in the room making him feel self-conscious,
>but we were within ready reach if needed. We always carry a pager in case
>of emergencies.

In New York City where we live, it's customary for the parents to stay with
their 4 year olds at parties unless the party is at a frequent playdate
friend's house.  Even so, parents socialize anyway.  My 5 year old goes to
parties where parents sometimes stay and sometimes go, so it doesn't look
too bad for the kid to have Dad hanging around...

--Sally

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Sally Strasser
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