DH set up play date with random man in park

[BFPDec21]

He obviously had a kid with him but he's took his number for the playdate. DH has never seen him and our DC does not know the child other than playing in the park today.

I can't work out if I'm being overprotective.

YABU - This is fine
YANBU - This is weird

define 'playdate' - presumably adults present?

As long as he isn't planning on leaving DC alone with the other parent I don't see a problem. This is kind of how making new friends works.

*by adults I mean parent of both kids

Erm isn’t that how mums do it down the park?

I know I did when DD was teeny.

I'm assuming the adults are staying, in which case yabu.

You're being weird. Perfectly normal to make friends with other parents in this way.

As long as he is going as well then it's absolutely fine.

How would you ever make new friends if you can't play with anyone you don't already know?!

Presumably your kids had fun together and would enjoy seeing each other again. No probs. If you mean he wants to have a playmate with the man himself, yes that's weird.

As long as he's not planning on leaving your son unattended with him i can't really see the problem. Is he trying to make a 'dad friend'?

Everyone's random until you get to know them.

I assume it’s for a “let’s meet in the park for a play again” which I think is really nice

So presumably, two Dads got chatting in the park and came to the conclusion that they and their kids might get on, so agreed to meet up again?

What if it were two Mums in the same situation. Would you be concerned then?

@mumof2exhausted

I assume it’s for a “let’s meet in the park for a play again” which I think is really nice

Yes I agree

@Singlebutmarried

Erm isn’t that how mums do it down the park?

I know I did when DD was teeny.

This is what I thought.

I think men should do more of this. We all know how important mum friends can be in the early years, I think more dad friends would be great. DH and I have the same frustrations about life with our small children, but I have far more outlets for that frustration between old friends, new friends, FB groups, MN etc. It also helps me realise our children's behaviour is normal, if infuriating. I'd love DH to have a bit of that support, and I think it would be hugely reassuring for him.

No different to meeting another parent/child at a toddler group surely? Which is how my DC got to make friends before they started school.

Would it be fine if it was 2 mums, OP?

Sounds great.

Your DH has met and arranged a playdate with another dad. Same as mums do all the time. Great idea and perhaps your DH will have made a new friend too.

YABU, isn’t this how parents make friends? I’ve never been brave enough in the park but have swapped numbers with mums at baby groups

It’s totally normal, shame more men don’t get chance to do it. Kind of bizarre to question it really OP.

I'm struggling to understand why so far 20 people have voted its weird for two parents to start chatting in the park whilst their kids play, realise they are getting along well, and plan a future meet up.

This is how you make friends surely?

All comments are positive at the minute so please speak and and give your reasons people. Genuinely curious why you think this is odd.

Sounds good to me too. It’s how I made a few mum friends and my DC had friends before the were school aged. It’s good that dads can do this too as well.

Hooray! Dads doing play dates. The more this happens the more it’s normalised. What’s the problem?

What's your issue with it OP? The man had a kid so nothing strange about him being in the park. As long as he wasn't talking about leaving the kids with this man then it sounds nice. He might be new to the area.