If someone can’t host a play date because their home is too small…
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Anonymous
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…can I ask them to come babysit the kids some of the time while they have a play date at my house?
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Anonymous
| No. If their house is big enough for them to live in, they can add a small child for 1 hour to it (since you mention “babysitting”) and apart from special conditions like living not in their home but with family or sharing house or similar. |
Anonymous
| Not sure how you could word it politely, but as someone who used to live in a small house, I actually wouldn’t have minded that idea. |
Anonymous
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I think you say “I’d love to have the kids get together and have plenty of space/toys/snacks. The only issue is that I have some must-do errands that day. You’re welcome to come over here and supervise the kids if you’re comfortable but no pressure if not! Sorry if this is a weird request and feel free to ignore if that’s the case; just trying to come up with creative solutions!!!”
But I don’t think the parent will take you up on it. In my experience, the parents who claim they can’t host because they have a small house just don’t want any of the responsibility. Your mileage may vary and hopefully you have a better experience. I personally don’t care how large or small someone’s house is. All I care about is a warm and safe atmosphere for my kid. Please report back, OP! |
Anonymous
| No, that would be a dick move. |
Anonymous
| No absolutely not. |
Anonymous
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As someone who had the smaller house, if they wanted to host they would. We hosted many playdates and sleepovers over the years. Or found outings instead of playdates at home if we wanted something different.
I never would have taken a friend up on an offer to babysit at their home. That would have felt like hired help rather than a friend having a playdate. |
Anonymous
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This is so weird. No!
The small house family should offer to take kids out if they cant have them over to play. But I really dont understand how it's impossible. Cant the parents go to their room whike the kids hang out in the fanily room? |
Anonymous
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No.
If the issue is that they never offer to host, then it's not really about them having a small home. We live in a small apartment and offer to host all the time. We host rainy day playdates all the time and we host warm weather playdates at the park right near our home (parent drops the kid off at the park, I supervise while kids play, we go back to our house for snacks and quiet play once the kids have tired themselves out at the park). A small home is not an excuse not to host. If a home is big enough for a child, it's big enough for that child to have a friend over for a few hours. If the problem is that you don't think it's possible for your child to have fun on a playdate at the smaller home, and want to control the playdate by having it at your home, then you cannot resent the other family for having a smaller home. That's a you problem. Your kid probably needs to experience other environments. |
Anonymous
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I think the real issue is that you can't set up a playdate without hosting it, whether at your house or at a park. It's rude to invite your kid to impose on others. If they say "oh we'd love to have the kids over but our house is too small," you could say "oh I'm sure Larlo would have a great time there, but if you're not comfortable he could join you at the park!" But if they're not actually expressing a desire to host, you're kinda stuck.
My kid spent 3 hours with 2 friends at one of their apartments today, then they all came over to our small rowhouse for 3 more with dinner, and then I dropped the friends home, including the kid whose house is twice the size of ours. So I don't think there is a "too small" house. But sometimes people are embarrassed. |
Anonymous
No but perhaps you can suggest they take the kids to a nearby park |
Anonymous
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I think that would come off as really weird.
How small is this house that it can’t fit a child for a couple hours? Is this a house for ANTS?! |
Anonymous
| That's not a play date. That's using them for free babysitting. |
Anonymous
We have 1000 square feet... its very small. |
Anonymous
| We have 2 kids in a 900sf apartment and we, along with our friends in similar setups, host playdates often. We go to the park if it's nice out or the kids have tons of energy and are overwhelming the space. But usually dh or I will just read or do work in our room to give the kids more space in the living room area. |