To hate the term Playdate, aghhhhhh

[pigletmania]

That's it really, its so American, so aghghhhhh. Why cant it be like it was, going round to play! If I hear of that term again I will spontaniously combust .

[JJ6]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the term date was not in commmon usage for adult rendevous when I was a teenager/twenties. We went out "Do you fancy going out with me?' 'X is going out with Y' NOT 'X is dating Y'

[StableButDeluded]

And thanks to Ben 10, I have once or twice been called a 'dufus' by DS. Though that was quite funny.

[AngelsOnHigh]

Have seen a few references to yo-ghurt. Um!!!!! How else to you pronounce it?

[robberbutton]

Yog-ert

[robberbutton]

Or maybe yog-ut. My phonetics isn't what it might be.

[rowingboat]

"Can I get" is in common usage on the East coast of Scotland, has been since I moved here thirty years ago.

[Anniebee65]

What about 'Carpool'? Apparently we now carpool with my neighbour. I had no idea.

In my day we walked of course...

[Anniebee65]

Oh, and 'Can I get' is also part of the Irish vernacular.

[mamsnet]

Hate playdate.. absolutely hate it..

Hate the need to coin a term for something that we previously managed to speak about without any fuss..

and HATE the idea of organising children's lives as if they were execs or film stars.

[Mingg]

"HATE the idea of organising children's lives as if they were execs or film stars."

I work full-time so if I want my child to have any activities over the weekend I do have to schedule and plan in advance.

[mamsnet]

Mingg
I'm not trying to get into an argument. What I am saying is that it doesn't have to be regimental. Surely you call somebody and ask if they'd like to get together one day? And likewise you call your child's friend's parents and ask if they'd like to come to play one day..

[Mingg]

I am not trying to get into an argument either. Calling someone and asking if they want to get together one day or asking if someone's child can come and play one day is planning and scheduling is it not? It is not imo "organising children's lives as if they were execs or film stars".

[mamsnet]

That's exactly what I'm trying to say.. not "Let's organise a playdate"..

Maybe it's all only words, but not to me

[onelittletreasure]

"playdate" - yuck! still DD has started to say "here y'arrrrrrr", not even "here you are", which is bad enough.

[jabberwocky]

As an American, I thought School Run was a British term. I'd never heard of it until I joined MN.

[EveWasFramed10]

jabberwocky same here...

The thing is, the world is getting smaller, and language is fluid...if it stayed the same, it wouldn't perpetuate. It also has to change according to the times...think about the use of certain words now that we have computers, social networking and text messaging. Even 'textspeak' is on its way to becoming an established 'language'. It happens. If language didn't change...we'd all still be speaking Old English!

[hmc]

I am deliberately going to use the term playdate at every opportunity from henceforth - mostly just to goad people....

[MerryMarigold]

I like the Huck Finn childhood! My kids regularly sit in the flower beds covered in mud!

I do think one of the problems of kids going to play at each others' houses is this idea of constant adult-led entertainment. My ds1 went on a 'playdate' where there was face-painting and making a den (well, the Mum made the den), another where they painted a canvas. Now that's a playdate.

When kids come here, they come round to play - with each other, with each other's toys. And I stay as uninvolved as I possibly can. Not sure if the parents are monumentally unimpressed with me (realising maybe they are, but still grateful to get rid of their kids for an afternoon!), but I think the kids have a good time, so who cares what they think?

[MerryMarigold]

...and therefore I will be careful to avoid using 'playdate' not because I hate it, but because I want to minimise expectations!

[thumbwitch]

I just hate the word 'date' full stop in any sense of meeting up with someone.
I never 'dated' anyone, I went out with them; it wasn't a 'date' when we went out either; and I don't ever plan to use 'playdate' for DS.

The first time I came across the term I honestly thought it was 'playing at dating' - i.e. the sort of thing my sister might do, setting her DDs up to see their "boyfriends" (they're 3,5 and 6). Totally inappropriate. (I realised my mistake quickly enough but my initial revulsion has stuck)

[putmeashape]

Really? Is there a point to this thread?

[lancasterkaren]

Being American and having 2 British daughters, I try my best to only speak with British phrases. Unfortunatly the odd thing slips out...i.e. cookies, bathroom. I do not use playdate, we go to someones house to play...but seriously they pick up more from the telivison than what i let slip

[rowingboat]

Lancaster you shouldn't have to worry about using British phrases. I think people are just venting, nobody would ever say anything to you in RL.

[CantSupinate]

Ditto Jabberwocky re "school run". I also have only heard "playdate" on MN, never have noticed it on American websites or from my American cousins, etc.

The sheer vitriol that this simple succinct term attracts is enough to encourage me to use it as often as possible.

After all, winding people up on purpose is an art form that I only learnt to do in Britain, it is such a core part of the culture to do. So by using "playdate" I am engaging in one of the most British activities I can think of!

[huffythethreadslayer]

I can't get excited about the word playdate. Or any other Americanised word for that matter. Life moves on...we pick up things from different cultures. It's just part of life.

I do,however, hate the prolific use of the word 'like' in pre-teenage years and mock my daughter mercilessly if she uses it, flicking my non-existent long hair and adapting a real 'Legally Blonde' style accent!