One sided play dates !!

[lollipoprainbow]

My dd 9 is an only child she is great at playing by herself but I feel sad she doesn't get invited for play dates despite me always having children in our house! I'm a bit annoyed at it being so one sided but I wouldn't dream of stopping other children coming round. Anyone else have the same issue?

I remember similar. A lot of parents are just too busy. They might work full time or are unwell or depressed or have a shit house and feel bad about it...or a mean husband or any number of reasons.

If the other kids accept and she's got mates at school, don't worry about it. Your house is a good place for them all. That's how I thought of it.

It doesn't change later either...my oldest DD is 16 and her friends are always here...their Mums don't let them hang out with friends at home.

I think in families with three or four children, it would be more difficult to have play dates because if one of the children have friends over, their siblings will want the same and so the parents could end up with playdates all the time.

I have an only and although we're not at the playdate stage, I have accepted that our house will be an open house for friends even if invites are not reciprocated

I don't mind it.

In fact when she was little, I actually preferred and encouraged playdates to our house.

Some parents stayed in that habit, some have different circumstances to us and it's only 1 that regularly invite her over.

It doesn't annoy me as DD is happy, entertained, is socialising and now they're older they go off and play by themselves while I do my own thing.

I have an only who's 7 and we would be lost without his friends who come round nearly every day in the hols. Sometimes I get fed up of always having kids here and its when I'm feeling low and sensitive due to hormones but on the whole we recognise and accept it's good for DS. I find it funny that friends will come here to play with DS to escape from siblings!!

He also goes round to other's houses and he'll often just disappear and we have to go searching for him and find him happily tucked away somewhere watching a film or playing games. I think that god for neighbours with kids his age and realise we are lucky.

'Thank' god not 'that' god!

Maybe things will pick up a bit more when everyone gets used to meet ups after lockdown.
I made a big effort with my DS to invite friends over but what I learned is that other parents prefer neutral meet ups so he doesn't get invited to houses a lot, only if there is an only child. Parents round here who have multiple children tend not to do play dates at all.
I must admit second time round I feel less of an urge to invite kids to the house. Someone I did not know invited DD to their house and it went well but I have not reciprocated yet as not ready for this so fresh coming out of lockdown.
This is bad form I guess but I need more time. Better to wait and for people to feel welcome.
It's nice your DC can play well on her own