Care and Feeding is Slate’s parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here .

Dear Care and Feeding,

My son, “Gary,” 8, has a friend, “Kenny,” who is the same age and lives down the block.

The problem is that Kenny is around ALL. THE. TIME. when they aren’t in school. It’s like he thinks he lives here. He’s not rude and is well-behaved, but it would be nice not to have a third kid (I have a 5-year-old daughter as well) always around. His parents are divorced, and his mom is at work a lot, but I think she is trying to use us for free child care.

I would like to speak with her, but I can hardly ever get hold of her. On those rare occasions that I have, she says she’s trying her best, but her hours are crazy. My husband thinks I’m making too big a d

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