Let’s Play Doctor!

This past weekend we had over our house several of my daughter’s friends – boys and girls. These kids’ ages range 7 – 9. For a couple of hours they were playing outside, but the last hour before their parents came to get them, they came inside to play. So, I am working on my computer when I hear, “Let’s Play Doctor” from one of the boys. I do get a little worried and am a bit surprised my husband isn’t about to break his leg (knowing my husband). The two boys insisted on being the doctors, while one girl was a nurse and my daughter and another was a patient.

Even though they were playing in an area where mom and dad could watch them, I still felt uneasy. They didn’t do anything weird just normal stuff with the doctor things, but now I want to pack up the emergency cart and all doctor supplies. I am forcing myself to relax about this and not toss the stuff. Am I paranoid or overprotective? When do these kids start thinking beyond one type of play doctor and the next?

The hardest part, to me, is the implied "...and if they do want to play doctor behind closed doors, do I stop them?"

I haven't quite figured out what I'd do, there. I think kids need unsupervised play, and need to do stuff that parents might not like so much but that is not actually harmful and may be beneficial. I did all kinds of things that my parents didn't know about and wouldn't have approved of that I'm awfully glad, on the balance, I got the chance to do.