Dear Little Children:

[Green_Tea]

When you asked if you could have a spontaneous playdate with a friend after school, I said yes. When you asked if you could have ice cream sandwiches, I said yes. When you asked if you could play in the sprinkler, I dug through the shed and found it and hooked it up. I outfitted you all in bathing suits. I gave you towels.

SO STOP SULKING AND TELLING ME YOU'RE BORED. ESPECIALLY YOU, GUEST IN MY HOME WHO I GRACIOUSLY SAID YES TO WHEN YOU ASKED FOR A PLAYDATE.

[TwinFoxes]

I feel your pain. I'm about to lock two kids in their playroom and throw away the key...the issue here is non-stop whining about EVERYthing. But it will all be over when they turn three later this month, right? RIGHT????

[SnuggleBuggles]

Other people's kids really get on my nerves when they complain of boredom or snack choices when they come to our house, especially when I try hard in those departments.

Beth

[neobunny]

If the guest kid is complaining that he/she is bored, then tell her/him to go home. Your not an entertainer. If guest don't like it, too bad.

[JoyNChrist]

Other people's kids really get on my nerves when they complain of boredom or snack choices when they come to our house, especially when I try hard in those departments.


Oh yeah. Nothing drives me battier than an ungrateful kid. Send them home!

[arivecchi]

You deserve a medal.

[ohiomom1121]

I totally feel your pain. I remember one who came over and got mad when I said Wii time was over. He marched down to the basement toy room and marched back up and said there's nothing to play with here. (it had a ridiculous amount of toys!!) So frustrating. I really hope mine at least use good manners at other's houses. I rarely hear a please or thank you from other kids.

[Green_Tea]

Thanks, everyone. I survived. Barely.

It drives me crazy when kids expect every playdate to be like a trip to Disney World. I can't tell you how many playdates my girls have gone on during which the parents take the kids bowling, out for ice cream, out to lunch, to the movies, mini golfing, etc. It seems like simply having a friend over to play with your toys and eat ice cream (out of the freezer) and run through the sprinkler is no longer exciting, and we are the "boring" house as a result.

Makes. Me. Crazy.

[niccig]

Thanks, everyone. I survived. Barely.

It drives me crazy when kids expect every playdate to be like a trip to Disney World. I can't tell you how many playdates my girls have gone on during which the parents take the kids bowling, out for ice cream, out to lunch, to the movies, mini golfing, etc. It seems like simply having a friend over to play with your toys and eat ice cream (out of the freezer) and run through the sprinkler is no longer exciting, and we are the "boring" house as a result.

Makes. Me. Crazy.

Really...they take kids out? We don't have playdates like that at all. It's always at someone's house, snacks at home. DS would have loved what you had set up.

We have taken a friend to the science center, but it was because his mother was sick and his Dad had to work, and we were going with DS anyways.

To be honest, if a playdate is too much work for me, I'm less inclined to invite that friend over again. There are several kids that DS likes to play with, are very easy kids to have over, DS and the child disappear into the bedroom and play and I barely have to do anything - those kids can come over anytime they want.

[Green_Tea]

Really...they take kids out? We don't have playdates like that at all. It's always at someone's house, snacks at home. DS would have loved what you had set up.

We have taken a friend to the science center, but it was because his mother was sick and his Dad had to work, and we were going with DS anyways.

To be honest, if a playdate is too much work for me, I'm less inclined to invite that friend over again. There are several kids that DS likes to play with, are very easy kids to have over, DS and the child disappear into the bedroom and play and I barely have to do anything - those kids can come over anytime they want.

Yup, they take kids out. Not all parents here do it, but both of my girls have had several playdates like that. I have never done that, myself - it's hard enough (and expensive enough) to take my own three kids places. I'm not interested in taking FOUR kids.

My philosophy is that the playdate IS the entertainment.

In all fairness, I must say that the little girl who came over yesterday is typically NOT a difficult child. And my own kids were being pretty sulky and annoying, too. It just pushes all my buttons when I try to be spontaneous and fun and say YES! instead of no, and nobody seems happy.

[egoldber]

Sorry. Seems like everyone was having a bad day. I know my kids were totally out of sorts at the end of the long holiday weekend. I had to call a TV and ice cream (thank you, Good Humor truck, NOT!) moratorium LOL!!!


Really...they take kids out?

I have to say that if I want older DD to have quality interaction time, one on one with a friend, I have to take them out. Otherwise my younger DD simply will.not.leave.them.alone. Which makes older DD insane and then creates issues with the friend. So yes, it is much easier for me to take older DD and her friend out for an ice cream or cheap lunch (Panera, Burger King) than it is to have a playdate at home. Not so much a movie because that is $$$.

So for just random playing with neighbor kids no. But for a one on one playdate with a school friend, we often go out.