6 year old play dates

[Carleton]

Hi

Just wondering what's the norm for 6 year old play dates at home. We ve done a few this week but tend to find after 1.5 hours (including food)it's enough. I've got boys and after so long squabbles and play fights start that get too rough, usually off the back of them not wanting to play the same thing and I regret asking anyone over. Is this the same for most at this age with boys and if so when do they calm down? Think Im best off at parks etc than having in the house

it depends on the friendship. My ds has a friend who, for example, he cannot go on a trampoline with as friend gets boisterous. But they will happily build a train track or play scaletrix for hours on end

I find the opposite, longer is better because they have time to settle. They need to have time to play, argue, watch tv, have a snack, go outside and after that they settle down to some really good play!

I find it depends on their friendship. My ds has some friends he gets on well with but if they come over they can never quite agree on or settle to something and I end up having to constantly mediate and help them find something to do. Whereas the friends he has a really strong connection with it’s not an issue, they sort themselves out easily without me having to intervene or help them along. Doesn’t mean the first sets aren’t friends, just maybe not long playdate friends and a park meet up might work better.

I've had a bad one today. They have been friends since babies, but the other child was really mean to my DS, calling him boring. His mum and dad did tell him off but he went stroppy teenager and shut himself in his room! My DS was begging him to play and it was really hard to hear. We left. I'm not going again - it's parks or nothing.

I have one more to return the favour and then I'm done. Weirdly the ones with DS and girls go really well!