Kids want to play with friends, wife is jealous of the moms.
This past year I was thrust into the role of a stay at home dad for my 3 kids, 4, 2, 8mo. Company downsized, wife gets an insane offer, we move to another town.
Trying to keep the toddlers entertained while keeping the house together and keeping the baby happy is no small feat BUT there is hope. This new neighborhood has a ton of kids around the age of mine. There's 6 kids under 6 just on my street. I've been taking them for walks the past 4 mornings and end up playing in someone's driveway for an hour or two which is great for everyone involved. The kids keep eachother entertained, the parents can relax a little since the kids are distracted, I get to socialize outside of my own house. My kids ask me every morning if we can go outside and find friends and they all play very well together.
Only problem is, I'm the only dad hanging out with all women. My wife seemed like she was okay with it until yesterday when I mentioned that the boy next door came over to play with our kids, which she thought was great, until I mentioned something about the babysitter and her mood dropped off a cliff. Her only other long term relationship ended in him cheating and getting physical with her, so I get it.
Heres the conundrum: now we've met and played with these kids so if my kids are playing outside, there's a good chance someone is going to walk by and just stop to say hello, which turns into a play date. My only other option is to never take the kids outside while the wife is at work. My wife hasn't met any of these women yet but unfortunately for me none of them are ugly, which is not going to help at all.
She has Monday off and it feels like that is my opportunity to get her on board with my new gal pals but I don't know what to do. I don't want my kids to be stuck inside all summer but I hate seeing my wife getting stuck in her own head about her husband being around younger women. I would never do anything to jeopardize our marriage, especially something as stupid as cheating, but I don't know how to show her that.