To just leave them to it on a playdate?

[caitlinohara]

I am shit at playdate etiquette.

Basically, my Y5 son has a friend round for the afternoon. He's been here 2 hours so far and they have spent the past hour and a half on the Wii. They are having a lovely time as far as I can gather despite younger brothers now being involved (I kept them out of there making christmas cards for a fair while but they have drifted in there with them now). No arguments and they are all laughing their heads off.

Why do I feel I should be prising them away from the screen?? Do you just leave yours to it? Will just feel a bit crap if I have to tell the mother that they have basically played computer games the entire afternoon when she comes to pick him up!

Leave them to it!

Kids need down time to do as they please without being railroaded into activities

Hell no, leave them to it!

If they are having fun together leave them to it.

I remember feeling like you do. Then I had a sort of blinding revelation that if they had been playing Monopoly or something I would feel like super mum! They're just doing the 2016 equivalent.

Let them enjoy it. If the friend is staying all day I would probably pride them off it for a bit later!

Prise. Not pride!

There's a big difference between socially interacting around a game, even if it includes a screen, and someone by themselves ignoring the world because they're hooked on a screen. It sounds fine to me.

I think there's an increasing amount of evidence about the benefits of games, particularly those that include socializing.

Let them have fun and enjoy it. I very much doubt the mother will judge you: they have been happily playing! Nothing wrong with that.

Not sure what a play date is.
I currently have my own DD (9) plus a pair of friends who are brothers to each other (9 and 12) and another little girl (9) who have just happened to call for each other. They are in my dining room, singing and making Hama bead pictures. I will ply them with periodic drinks and snacks and that's it.

Leave them to it!

I hate the term playdate as well, in fact I have only ever heard it used on here!

Laptop is that a stealth boast?

They have just pelted outside to play football so I feel a bit less crap now!

Isnt that why you have friends round so the kids leave you alone.......just me then