to tell playdate to get off device?

[emkana]

Took one of ds's friends to a softplay place with us today - he brought his ipod along and instead of playing he just stared at the screen, until I told him that that wasn't really what we were there for - he said his mum had said it was ok...was I being unreasonable?

[strawberrydaquari]

How old is he?

[rookiemere]

YANBU. Usually when DS has a pal over they spend some time on screens, but it's doing stuff together like building in Minecraft. I wouldn't be happy if a visiting DC didn't interact with my DS - what's the point of them being there?

[WipsGlitter]

No absolutely not. I'd have taken it off him.

[emkana]

8

[mrsmootoo]

Your outing your rules! YANBU

[DeliciousMonster]

I'd have taken it off him to be honest. No point in paying entry if he is going to sit on the bloody thing. Can you get the entry fee back off his mum?

[MegBusset]

Yanbu! I would have confiscated it. How rude! Sometimes when DS1's best friend comes over they play on the Xbox but always a two-player game so they are interacting and having fun together.

[fuzzpig]

YANBU. If it was because he doesn't like soft play or something, then his parents should've told you in advance, no point in you paying for entry for him if he didn't want to be there.

[MrsTawdry]

YANBU but I'm already aware that some of my almost 7 year old's little friends have outgrown softplay places. I know it seems young...

[sooperdooper]

YANBU, he shouldn't even have brought an ipad with him to soft play!

[tumbletumble]

YANBU, but I agree 8 seems a bit old for soft play.

[lljkk]

Given the admissions prices to those places I'd insist he got off.

[Unidentifieditem]

Since when was it ok to send a kid on a play date with an iPod?! Jesus wept. Fresh fucking air, or
Physical movement, or
Imaginative play...

Are none of these cool anymore

[Haroldplaystheharmonica]

My two still love soft play and they're (nearly) 8 and 10! Granted the 10 yr old says he's really not bothered but is the first to shoot off down the slides when we get there! There are several soft plays near us though and some are more "grown up" than others.

As for your original post, I'd have taken it off him and said he can have it back when you get home. We've got DS1's friend over for a sleepover tonight and so far they've been on the PS3, their Hudls and are now watching a video together. Not what I'd choose for them to do but it's a one-off so I'll stay out of it and sit out of the way in the kitchen on the computer

[TeenAndTween]

almost 7 year old's little friends have outgrown softplay places

That is really sad. Perhaps they have lost the art of entertaining themselves, what with ipads etc.

My 10yo can play happily in soft play for 2 hours plus. She makes new friends, and they do following games or just climb around having fun.

[LIZS]

Take it away and return for journey home. Bet his mum doesn't even know he took it. On another note your ds can't be 8?!

[emkana]

Oh yes - 9 in a few months

[TwoOddSocks]

You're the adult in charge and you paid his admission so you can impose reasonable rules. I'd not make a big deal of it just say screens aren't allowed in soft play in your family he can have it back on the way home.

[rinabean]

Can you and your son not take hints? He didn't want to be there

[emkana]

Okayyyyy.... so I should have done what exactly?

[SnowBells]

rinabean

And since when do you let an 8-year-old decide the day's agenda?

God. People who let their kids do anything they want instead of actually raising them can drive me nuts.

[hippo123]

I would have taken it off him straight away. I agree that 8 does seem old for soft play though. Some of the locals ones here are aged 0-6. There is another aimed at older kids though with huge slides etc so I guess it depends what kind of soft play it was. Regardless he was been rude as were his parents.

[mumeeee]

Soft play is up to 11 around here. There are a couple with big slides and things