It can’t just be me that finds even nice kids who I like in small doses to be an absolute pita on play dates.
I’ve had kids over who’ve drawn on my walls (not toddlers), tried to sneak small toys home with them without asking as well as sometimes just being really rude and unpleasant to be around. There are a few kids who are a joy to host but in the main I find play dates an absolute chore. My kids are above the age where I feel I should need to put activities out for them. They have endless toys, a large garden and if their friends are allowed to play out the front they tend to do that for a while.
I would be absolutely mortified if my kids behaved the way some do when they come to our house. Although maybe they do and the parents just give the same non-commital ‘yeah they’ve been fine’ as I do when I go to collect? I really hope not though. The only time I actually said something to parents was when 3 of dds friends were round and were being so unpleasant to dd that when a neighbour called for her I let her go and play with them in their house so had to explain her absence when the other parents arrived.
I do tell other kids off if need be the same as I do my own but play dates still tend to be a couple of hours of relentless misbehaviour. Where am I going wrong? I guess I could just stick a film on but it would kind of defeat the object of having friends over to socialise.
Maybe I just don’t like other people’s kids?