Parents dating children

[Thegroaninggurner]

I often see posts on Facebook of parents saying they are going on a date with their children I find this absolutely cringeworthy does anyone else? To me you go on a date with a man or woman that you see as a partner not a child. Just saw one of daddy saying he's going on a date with his daughter really does make my skin crawl.

I don't see 'date' as having an inherently romantic meaning. So I wouldn't view a dad saying "sorry, I have a dinner date with my daughter" as being inherently creepy... he's just taking his child out for dinner. I do find the "Daddy/Daughter date" thing a little distasteful, but not because of the word "date" but the way in which it is done (I.e. to resemble a romantic date, which is odd between parent and child).

And I think "playdate" is very useful shorthand for "having a child round to play" and also doesn't always mean the same thing. There seems to be a subtle difference in our area - a playdate tends to be a slightly more formal arrangement for younger children (and a parent tends to stay), while older kids have their friends round to play after school. My 4 yo has playdates, usually with parents present (and they always seem to bring something, like biscuits). When DC is older, I'm sure they won't have playdates but instead their friends will just come round after school (and probably won't bring biscuits 😂).

Valentine’s Day historically was about celebrating the Christian Marty, St Valentine

I much prefer St Doc Brown 😄

I haven't seen this but a female friend made reservations for us for dinner and I asked who else was going and she said just us, and I replied 'oh a date'! So I'd use it with a friend as a joke, but not with my kid!

Creeps me the fuck out.
It's an American import from the frankly disturbing daddy dates and girls purity balls 'marrying' their daddy, pledging their virginity to him to look after.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/purity-balls-girls-in-the-us-making-virginity-pledges-as-fathers-vow-to-protect-purity-10271933.html%3famp

I don’t think of it as just a romantic thing…. Lunch date with a friend, play date for the kids etc. “it’s a date” when making plans….

Fecking creepy. My in laws are in a Southern US state and they have these weird daughter/daddy dance things where my poor niece, aged 15, had to go to a formal with her own father.
And Dnephew went to these dance classes where they learn old style ‘manners’ and dances and the girls aren’t allowed to refuse to dance with any boys that ask. Fuck consent.
but that’s all okay because they’re all ‘nice’ boys from ‘good’ families so what could go wrong??

The word has evolved. Kids go on play dates. No different to that.

playdate I would be fine with as a term in this context.

Obviously it’s not cool. This whole “daddy” thing is absolutely gross too🤢😵‍💫🤮

MassiveSalad22 · Today 15:48
My friend grew up in South Carolina and literally promised herself to her dad in a ceremony until he gave her away to another man 🙃🙃🙃 there was a ring and everything. So, at least going to the cinema with your kid isn’t that“

WTAF?

It's a generation thing. Going on a date would always mean dating.
The Americanism has changed language I think. People don't even use play dates phrase here.

Do people really say date for people they're not romantically involved with?

I don't really get this. Don't you just say 'I'm meeting X for lunch' or 'I'm going to the cinema with Y'? I don't understand why you would say call these things dates

The think the thread title is deliberately obtuse. I think ‘dating’ and ‘going on a date’ are two very different things.

You can take your spouse on a date, that doesn’t mean you’re ‘dating’. I’ve definitely heard people say they are going on a ‘friend date’. It’s just a twee/ jokey way of saying meeting up for a nice time that often involves a meal, drinks, cinema or whatever stereotypically people do when they go on romantic dates. But it’s obviously not romantic.

I feel like I’m explaining a joke. Are people really so literal or unable to understand nuance that they can’t see this?

The word has evolved a bit. Who cares.

Definitely just means 'an organised activity in the diary' like play date / lunch date / coffee date

If I'm taking my DD out we'd say 'off for our Wagamama date'

It's totally part of language used around friends and family too and people all know the difference between 'ooo off to a fancy restaurant with a potential romantic partner' and 'I'm spending some one on one time with my kid/neighbour/friend' etc

and people all know the difference between 'ooo off to a fancy restaurant with a potential romantic partner' and 'I'm spending some one on one time with my kid/neighbour/friend' etc

I mean it's not hard to figure out, now is it?

I think I use 'date' quite a lot with my daughter. Coffee date especially.

i don't think I'm inherently creepy.

What a load of shite! People go on breakfast dates and lunch dates with their friends!

Not the same at all. With friends, we arrange something around our busy lives, find a day when we are both free and make a ‘date’. With your own kids it’s completely different.

I think I use 'date' quite a lot with my daughter. Coffee date especially.

is your daughter an adult that no longer lives with you?

It doesn't creep me out but it does annoy me. I think it has become increasingly popular with social because people just have to post their amazing day out and need a caption! How would people know they are amazing parents otherwise? 🙄 It's up there with calling a child your "best friend" for me....

People are easily creeped out! A date is any social event. I say it's a date when my friends and I organise things.

I definitely don't have dates with my kids because I live with them and every day is spent with them! Same as I don't have date nights with the hubby 😂That always makes me laugh on Facebook.

Creeped out though?? Silly reaction and over the top.

It doesn't creep me out but it does annoy me. I think it has become increasingly popular with social because people just have to post their amazing day out and need a caption!

I understand this sentiment - going out to a cafe or to the cinema with your child is just something you do. It’s a pretty ordinary activity. But some people have to act like it’s a big thing and call it a ‘date.’ SM does make a lot of people act like every basic thing you do is a special ‘thing’.

It's completely irrelevant

I had a hybrid part US/part UK childhood and the area I lived in the US, 'daddy/daughter dates' were a thing. It was meant to be 'modelling' how a man should treat a woman so that when the girl grew up, she'd never settle for being disrespected or treated rudely.

My dad once took me to a fancy restaurant and we both got dressed up. I remember around aged 6 or 7, feeling really embarrassed and 'cringe'. To be honest, I think he did too! He just did it because it was 'the thing' at the time. It never happened again.

People are easily creeped out! A date is any social event. I say it's a date when my friends and I organise things.

I do to. But if asked what I’m doing at the weekend I would never say, ‘I’m going on a date with my friend, Susie,.

A couple of points worth thinking about here.

Why is it only daddy/daughter dates? Why not daddy/son dates?

How do you feel when you walk into a shop in February and see loads of Valentine's Cards addressed 'to my daughter' or 'to my son'?