I've recently been talking to quite a few people regarding their children. Apparently, the concept if a playdate is something that Mothers adore.

I never had playdates or anything of the sort, so I can't speak from personal experience.

Children as old as ten are going to play with friends and new kids during times set up by their parents. This strikes me as odd. That at ten years old, a kid is still relying on their parent to organize their life and choose their friends.

What experiences do you have with this sort of thing?

My mum used to try and do that to me in primary school. It was really bad.

She stopped quite quickly when she realised that if two kids were friends then the mothers expexted to be friends also. And oh god she loathed those women and their little afternoon get togethers and their ann summers parties.

Bitch got what was coming to her, is all I can say. She made me hang out with horrible little kids, it was only karma that she had to hang out with the horrible adult equivalent.

I've always been responsible for finding my own friends and organising my own 'play-dates'. My mother never stayed to chat with the other adult.
I wonder if I've been missing out on somethin.

You can send all your Children to my house for a play date!

No thank you, Mr. Jackson.

play date

my parents were only vaguely aware of some little person living in the house

you kids these days have it so easy

When I was 10 I was off being a freedom fighter.

The fucks a playdate?

I don't know if you'd call it a play date as such, but my kids are always at some friends house, or have friends over. They are 7 and 5.

Generally though they are school friends, so we talk to the mums and dads at the school, and it kind of just happens. Either that, or they are playing with the kids next door.

I guess we are lucky living in a relatively small neighbourhood where all the people were old about 10 years ago, and as they die off, young couples, some with kids, are moving in. So the kids all play together.

Meh - it's kids playing together after school. Hardly an "organised official play date".....

I think possibly euda was refering to when parents go "Great. So little timmy will go to your place to have tea with your fenella tomorow, and then she can come over and have tea with timmy on the 15th!"

?

yoyo knows.

Although, some of what chumpion is talking about qualifies as well. Parents setting things up while hanging out after school and at school activities and such.

Damn you. I was so thinking this thread was more interesting before I read it...

I've recently been talking to quite a few people regarding their children. Apparently, the concept if a playdate is something that Mothers adore.

I never had playdates or anything of the sort, so I can't speak from personal experience.

Children as old as ten are going to play with friends and new kids during times set up by their parents. This strikes me as odd. That at ten years old, a kid is still relying on their parent to organize their life and choose their friends.

Yeah... an image comes to mind... mostly consisting of yuppies popping valium, neglecting their kids, and forcing their kids to hang out with people they don't like just so mommy can exploit them as a status symbol while forging the "right" connections...

I suppose there are occasional exceptions. Major parties might have to be coordinated... but generally speaking... for fuck's sakes, quit trying to make your kids into some little puppet extention of yourself. They know who their friends are, and how they like to kick it. You don't.

~sigh~ Sometimes, parents disgust me.

My mum pulled a play date on my once (aged 10), luckily my friend called 20 minutes in and I demanded to be driven to his house.

OMG LIKE WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER KID!

who cares.

I know lots of women who set up playdates for their kids...I've never done it, though. For one thing, my daughter is very shy, so if she doesn't feel comfortable, she'll just sit by me and hide her face if anyone talks to her. Also, most of the kids I know are bratty, future serial killers, so I don't want her hanging around them anyway.

Sometimes Ive had it like that when I couldnt be left alone. Had to 'meet' some new kids to play with. But it ended quickly and in a way has changed me.
There are some things I regret I did in life. The antisocial stuff mostly.
So, a child left to itself, forging its own life, friendships and so on will learn by itself. That gives the chance the child wont do stupid stuff because of the parent, but tis always hard to learns ometing by ourselves. Especially when the 'quiet, shy' guy gets thrown into highschool (another education system here, so 1 class highschool is at 16-17, one year later than in the US) and has to learn what social mean in a matter of months. That why Im the 'quiet, but not shy, just pretty wierd' guy now.
So yeah, either parents can teach their child something to ease their future life or let the child learn on its own, thats how I see it.

When my mum did it, it usually worked out okay.. but then I was one of those kids who got on with everyone and never had much trouble when it came to making frieds.

Not for me. I grew up on a street where there were kids everywhere, I just got told to go and play outside for a while. Probably an excuse for my parents to have sex or fight in peace.

Not for me. I grew up on a street where there were kids everywhere, I just got told to go and play outside for a while.

One of my friends used to get paid $10 to go play outside because he would always argue about going outside. His father finally got fed up with it and decided to pay for his free time.

I should refuse to eat and see if I can get the same kind of deal. I eat a lot so it would be pretty lucrative.