to find playdates a pain in the a**e

[minxofmancunia]

I know I probably am and I'm being a grumpy miserable old cow but my heart sinks when I know I've got one of dds (3) mates coming round.

I hate the whining, the whinging, the constant refereeing to make sure they don't fight, having to think of entertainments/super nutritious meals for them.

Actually apart from 2 of them I'm just not that into other toddlers AT ALL.

Even worse when their parents stay with them and want to constantly monitor them and play with themm arghhh! Thus I have to socilise with said parent and play childrens games having thought the point of playdates was that they played with each other so I was freed from the tedium of doing so myself .

However for the sake of dd I grin and bear it, make sure invitations to play are reciprocated regularly, plan them for her most weeks and thus yet more and more weekends drift by where I'm stuck doing bloody playdates rather than something I actually enjoy....

selfish cow...

It largely depends upon the child IMO.

YANBU

They are a nightmare

don't do 'em

(or at least not until children are say, 6 or 7 and able to take selves off and re appear only to be fed)

YANBU if you find them a pain.

However, I love them. Have an only DD (7y) and we regularly have friends back to play. I send them off to play and get peace and quiet, seeing them for food and drinks at most. Makes my life way easier when she has a friend to play.

Have never had a bad playdate yet.

YANBU. Most people like their own children, but not other people's. They just tolerate them.

Plus, the work of raising your own kids is hard enough without having to supervise someone else's little darling for several hours.

You are NOT a crabby cow for feeling this way! Perhaps you could cut down on the number of playdates per week/month?

yanbu, although I love them, for the simple reason that ds (2.6) is happier, better occupied etc. when he has a friend over, I get a bit of a break from playing with him, he uses up a lot of energy, and I get to chat to my friends at the same time. For me, it fills up the time nicely in the afternoons, as he is only at nursery in the mornings.

Weekends we always do stuff as a family, although often meet up with other families with similar aged kids.

But if you're not into them, forget it! Or just do 1 per week.

YANBU. I only have friends around who are my friends and I find that I don't mind their toddlers, but as a rule, toddlers can be quite annoying. I certainly wouldn't want to look after others when their mums were not there. I would wait until DS is older and him and his friends can go and play by themselves. My friend has 2 year old twins and is a constant referee and it looks bloody exhausting!!

At that age I didn't often have kids round for 'playdates'. I had their mums round for a coffee because they were my friends, and the kids played whilst we did. If I did have a child round, it was more a case of a childcare favour.

These days I'm happy to have DS1's friends round (he's 5.5), but DS2 doesn't often have friends round (he's 3.5). Again, if I do, it will be the children of my friends who I will ask round to give said friend a break for a while.

Do you think it makes a difference if you have one child or two? I've got two and they play together quite nicely (some of the time!), so I don't need to arrange playdates to occupy them.

I am like fourarms.
And I only have people I am friends with round, or who I wouold like to be friends with.
That way it is nice for all of us. (except the tidying up)

YANBU

I've never done playdates.

I am liking my DC's more as they get older, a house full of toddlers/KS1 is my worst nightmare!

If they are that much trouble why bother?

If there is that much whinging etc, sounds as if the children don´t get much from it either!

Super-nutritious food? I have to admit I usually provide junk food for my kids friends - there are a number who refuse to eat vegetables, etc., and stuff like chips gets eated by nearly everyone. At one meal, knowing we had a fussy guest, I provided a selection of baked potatoes, baked beans, raw sliced veggies (peppers etc), cherry tomatoes, some other stuff I can't remember, and some pre-processed cheesy balls in breadcrumbs. These cheesy balls were the only thing this guest would eat!