How many playdates do your DC in Y1 of Pre-Prep do?

[reesecup]

My DS is in Y1 of a pushy London pre-prep and the boys get homework 3 nights a week. The school strongly encourages the boys to attend after school clubs. DS does music and cooking as he is not sporty and prefers to read a book. His teacher keeps telling me to organise at least one playdate a week. How do your DC do this and do their homework? It is impossible for DC to do his homework after a weekday playdate as he is exhausted after school. He leaves for school at 7:30am and has a long commute and doesn't get home until 4:15pm. Are any of your DC too tired for playdates during the week?

we are in state but my y1 is home about 4.30, supper at 5pm, upstairs about 6 for lights out 7pm. we dont do weekday playdates. most people opt for friday afternoon after school with supper as that is when most parents also have time.

sorry should say if you dont live nearby playdates are a logistical nightmare as they depend almost entirely on parents getting to know each other. don't worry about it. sleep is more valuable than anything else at this age imo

Sounds utterly ghastly. Dump the after school clubs and let him hqve friends to play.

why would you send your 5 year child to a school you acknowledge to be pushy?

WTAF does it have to do with his teacher?

Neither of mine did anything like one a week (now Y3 and Y7 in preprep & prep) and they don't seem to have suffered. There are some DC who seem to do more, but everyone is so scattered that I just can't do it and still work, plus my DC seem to need their sleep more than some of their peers.

We don't do a play date as such every week, but for of us get together after school on a Friday for coffee while the children play/ have a snack. We then quite often do something on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, but this could be stuff like soft play/ a concert/ ceramic class/ botanic gardens, or a sleepover. My daughter is six and primary two.

Wow! I don't have any real advice here as I have never experienced a pre-prep with clubs etc but I vaguely remember back in the day when I was in pre-prep I had a playdate once a week at the same time with the same two other children. Would this be easier on you? If you can find one or two other families interested than it is much easier and it can become a social occasion for you and the other parents or alternatively a different parent (or nanny) can take the children each time so you only have to do it once a month ish.

I think Friday afternoons are your best bet or takes place near school (e.g. 20 mins in the school playground after school? Or does he catch a bus?).

Alternatively, say screw it. It's none of his teacher's business (unless she thinks he needs to make some friends and is excluded in class?) and it sounds like your doing a lot anyway. You don't need to exhaust your child to tick some boxes.

Thank you for your helpful comments.