Play date nightmare with 2 year olds

[mebeforeyou]

I'm wondering if others find play dates with 2.5-year-olds just too much sometimes. I feel I want to give them a rest for a few months because:

Child A – always well-behaved but if he wants a toy another child has he goes and stands next to that child and starts ear-splitting screaming.

Child B – my DS is usually well-behaved, can get a little over excited sometimes and get hyper for a few minutes which is irritating.

Child C – this child is the issue I have with continuing with play dates with these two other mums. He constantly harasses, snatches toys relentlessly, hits, bites, taunts, pushes, and spits at my child. The biting is a real worry but his mum isn't bothered about it.

Play dates can end up being just awful from my perspective – screaming (Child A) and attacking (Child C) my child. My DS is then usually crying on/off throughout the play dates as Child C's behaviour is only ever targeted at him and not Child A.

Both other mums are mostly oblivious, although Child A's mum does sometimes comment on Child C's poor behaviour. Child C's mum thinks he's wonderful and can do no wrong, her only reprimands for his behaviour are verbal so no time out etc.

Child C's behaviour towards my DS is the same regardless of who's home we are in, a play group, the park etc. This has been going on for months and I would say his behaviour is getting worse.

Another mum joined us for a play date once and looked horrified at Child C's behaviour; she told me to give play dates a rest from these other two for 6 months and only meet them in the park. Do you think she has a point?

Child C will be starting at the same nursery as my child and I hope they pick up on this behaviour as his mum might start taking notice if they tell her is behaviour is unacceptable etc.

[tinypop4]

I can't imagine a scenario where a play date for 2 year olds is ever going to work. They are big babies with little self control. Parks and playgroups are a better idea until 3.5 or more

[Eastie77]

I don’t think play dates at that age make any sense (sorry not helpful!). They are too young really and mainly play in parallel rather than with each other at that age. No need to make your child spend time with poorly behaved Child C, it sounds very unpleasant for him . Take the other mums advice and suspend these ‘play dates’ for now. Alternatively suggest meeting up in a park with no toys involved.

The scenarios you described is the reason my friends and I do not meet up with our DC in tow (all aged 1-4). It’s too fraught and some of my friends have very different parenting styles to mine so we keep our friendship in tact by meeting up without our little cherubs.

[Eastie77]

Sorry just spotted you mentioned Child C misbehaves in the park as well.