to bin off play dates?

[pianomadness]

Since Xmas I've manage 2. Both ended in fractious kids crying or squabbling and just seemed like a faff.

Ds is 6 and only child. School full time obvs but also does breakfast club 5 mornings a week, after school club 3/4 times a week till 5, spends time with grandparents/cousins, does sports clubs between 2-4 times a week and we are 'out' a lot at the park / pool / beach etc.

I work near full time as does dh and both of us are in talking busy jobs where we come home talked out and the last thing I can be bothered with is sorting out this minefield.

Ds doesn't specifically ask to meet up with friends, he's busy doing plenty of stuff with other kids (not necessarily those in his friendship/class group though) and isn't that into close friendships, likes to do his own thing etc.

I feel I'm not BU to not organise them, let him sort his own social life as he gets older and cares but the curse of seeing Facebook's glittering social lives make me feel guilty that I should try harder.....

[pianomadness]

My AIBU was really as I feel like I'm flogging a dead horse (as I said I managed to organise 2 play dates since Xmas due to all the other commitments with me and the other parents, it was such a faff to organise as people's lives are understandably so complicated) and then they were a bit of a disaster and ds isn't bothered anyway BUT when I see Facebook and all the play date posts, I feel guilty, like it's something I should do.

[pianomadness]

It's really interesting reading people's views though. People seem to fall in 2 camps of doing them and finding it fairly easy to arrange and do or disliking them, finding it a massive inconvenience and not being plain sailing.

[purplecollar]

I think keep your hand in. I do them but only with friends they have a particular thing with - i.e. they've been friends for a while, have something in common, like playing the same things. Then even if you just invite one of these a term, that's fine. You don't have to do it weekly. But it's useful to learn how to host and it's useful to show those friends you do want to connect a bit, even if you're a bit busy.

It sort of works for me because we kind of share favours with those people. I pick up theirs if they're running late, they might run mine to football if dh is away with the car. These things sort of happen as they get older. It's much nicer for them to go to the school disco with a mate. So it's good to build up a little network if you can.

[TrollMummy]

I think that those who work, have more one DC and who have DCs that do activities outside school find it most difficult to keep up with the play date merry go round. There simply aren't enough hours in the day.

[ChocAuVin]

What minionsrule said. YANBU