“Playdate” etiquette

[notsosureaboutthatthough]

Firstly the word playdate makes my teeth itch.
What’s the normal for everyone else. If you offer to have someone’s child over, say, age 7/8/9, do you go pick them up and return them home after or expect their parents to do any pick ups or drop offs?
Same goes for when your child is invited to someone’s house, would you offer to drop them off or pick them up or expect it is part of the deal?
How long do you keep the child or expect yours to be away for roughly?
And do you offer food at tea time or send them away before then?
Would you allow them “out to play” while at yours or expect yours to Be allowed out at theirs?

This is all assuming you aren’t friends already with the parents and don’t know each other that well.

Thanks!

re playing out....
I think a lot will be depending on where people live. We live in the middle of a city centre, no garden and on a main road. So not a chance that I’d let DD or friends out to play!
But if it was nice and other parent was happy with it, I’d be happy to pop to a park as we’ve loads within walking or driving distance.

so how was returned playdate

My child had fun. But I was asked to drop off and pick up not a big deal
I guess.
What surprised me was being told. “ mum we got to walk to the shop ourselves and buy sweets and walk home”
The shop
In question is a five minutes walk and over a few roads . Wasn’t too happy about that as I wouldn’t have allowed it myself.
This is where I’m never sure what’s right. Should she have asked me or something or would that have felt silly to her? I wouldn’t ask I guess, but would have taken them to the shop.
She survived though! And it was only 3 hours ..

At first I was going to say I thought it was breathtakingly rude (esp for a first visit and where you don't know the mum/she doesn't know you). Then I saw your update and thought maybe she's just shy or something.

Does "Katy" have older siblings? I find parents who've done it all before tend to be more relaxed. Also is your child an only? (mine is!). I find those parents tend to be more cautious (sorry for the sweeping generalization... Obvs there are loads of exceptions!)

But then I'm also shocked by today's update. There's NO WAY I'd have let someone else's kid do this at that age without knowing the child really, really well. Maybe your child has no road sense? Bloody hell!

I would have said something to the mum

How irresponsible of her to allow your child to walk done several roads to a shop alone