can I bring my little one to older kid's playdate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts saying you can’t bring a sibling to the playground.

If you have the option, I would take the older child alone, especially if it is a first play date.

I have 3 kids. I used to have 2 boys who were exactly 2 years apart. When older one started elementary, i was the one who hosted the first play dates. I was grateful that families would invite my younger son. They didn’t have to for birthdays.

+1000. This is crazy, it is at a freaking playground. Not someone's house. Take your kid with you to the playground.

-1000. Give the older child the time and attention away from the younger one when you have a spouse at home to care for the little one. No one said it wasn’t a fricking playground. We’re saying that the older kid deserves time alone with his friend without the interference of the three year old.

NP. I find it odd to call the playground “playing alone.” What if one of them sees another school friend there? Are they gonna be like “oh sorry, you can’t join our private playdate”…?

I think the only reason not to bring the 3 yo is if the moms want to chat without interruption.

dp No but, I assume the school friend won't be a three year old. It will be their classmate.

[Anonymous]

If the 3 year old is going to be chasing after the older kids, and they are looking forward to playing together (not with the toddler), then it's going to end in tears for the 3 year old.

Can you do it? Sure. Is it going to make the toddler happy? Unlikely, unless you force interactions. Is that going to make the playdate kids unhappy? Unlikely.

Why make kids unhappy? Don't set them up to fail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts saying you can’t bring a sibling to the playground.

If you have the option, I would take the older child alone, especially if it is a first play date.

I have 3 kids. I used to have 2 boys who were exactly 2 years apart. When older one started elementary, i was the one who hosted the first play dates. I was grateful that families would invite my younger son. They didn’t have to for birthdays.

+1000. This is crazy, it is at a freaking playground. Not someone's house. Take your kid with you to the playground.

-1000. Give the older child the time and attention away from the younger one when you have a spouse at home to care for the little one. No one said it wasn’t a fricking playground. We’re saying that the older kid deserves time alone with his friend without the interference of the three year old.

No, it’s because the younger one will intrude upon the play date and insist on being part of it, even though unable to engage in the type of play an older child would prefer. I mean, the bratty little sibling trope is as old as time. How do you not know this?

NP. I find it odd to call the playground “playing alone.” What if one of them sees another school friend there? Are they gonna be like “oh sorry, you can’t join our private playdate”…?

I think the only reason not to bring the 3 yo is if the moms want to chat without interruption.

[Anonymous]

^^"Is that going to make the playdate kids [happy]? Unlikely."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts saying you can’t bring a sibling to the playground.

If you have the option, I would take the older child alone, especially if it is a first play date.

I have 3 kids. I used to have 2 boys who were exactly 2 years apart. When older one started elementary, i was the one who hosted the first play dates. I was grateful that families would invite my younger son. They didn’t have to for birthdays.

+1000. This is crazy, it is at a freaking playground. Not someone's house. Take your kid with you to the playground.

+2000. There are a lot of uptight new moms who feel like they are the playdate police on this site. It is a playground, not somebody's house. It is fine to bring your other child. Since your husband is available, bring him along too, he can help entertain the 3 year old (or invite a friend for the 3 year old).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts saying you can’t bring a sibling to the playground.

If you have the option, I would take the older child alone, especially if it is a first play date.

I have 3 kids. I used to have 2 boys who were exactly 2 years apart. When older one started elementary, i was the one who hosted the first play dates. I was grateful that families would invite my younger son. They didn’t have to for birthdays.

+1000. This is crazy, it is at a freaking playground. Not someone's house. Take your kid with you to the playground.

+2000. There are a lot of uptight new moms who feel like they are the playdate police on this site. It is a playground, not somebody's house. It is fine to bring your other child. Since your husband is available, bring him along too, he can help entertain the 3 year old (or invite a friend for the 3 year old).

DP, and try again. I'm a seasoned mom of three and I say leave the three year old at home. Kids want (and deserve) time to play with *their* friends, without their siblings.

I seriously don't get the issue leaving the three year old with his father. Is his father somehow unsafe? Incapable of entertaining the kid for a few hours? Good lord, people.

[Anonymous]

If it’s at someone’s house I don’t think yoU should bring the kid without asking. At a public place like a playground - I do think you can bring the kid but I would not do it if it’s going to ruin the play date for the older kids.

[Anonymous]

This is crazy. It is a public playground. Of course the little one can come. People have more than one child. I would expect if i invited someone to a playground for a playdate, siblings may come too. That is how it works. If it was a home playdate, I wouldn't bring the little one though.

[Anonymous]

First graders don't want three-year olds hanging around with them when they're with their friends. I'd also be annoyed if I were the other mom and you spent the whole time chasing after your three-year old and I spend the whole time watching the first graders. Let the three-year old do something with his dad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 6 and 4 (boy/girl) and if there's a playdate at a playground the other always tags along and it's never been a problem. The other mom usually does the same. The two kids run on the playdate run off together (1st graders don't really need supervision) and I deal with the younger/socialize with the parent.

This doesn't make sense - if the other mom is doing it as well then you have two sets of kids. So why are you the only one dealing with a younger kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts saying you can’t bring a sibling to the playground.

If you have the option, I would take the older child alone, especially if it is a first play date.

I have 3 kids. I used to have 2 boys who were exactly 2 years apart. When older one started elementary, i was the one who hosted the first play dates. I was grateful that families would invite my younger son. They didn’t have to for birthdays.

+1000. This is crazy, it is at a freaking playground. Not someone's house. Take your kid with you to the playground.

+2000. There are a lot of uptight new moms who feel like they are the playdate police on this site. It is a playground, not somebody's house. It is fine to bring your other child. Since your husband is available, bring him along too, he can help entertain the 3 year old (or invite a friend for the 3 year old).

Bring your dog, too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is crazy. It is a public playground. Of course the little one can come. People have more than one child. I would expect if i invited someone to a playground for a playdate, siblings may come too. That is how it works. If it was a home playdate, I wouldn't bring the little one though.

Did you miss the part where the mom specifically said that the little one will tag along and interupt the big ones play? Of course anyone can take a kid to the playground, but why in the world would you set your kid up for being annoyed by their younger sibling the whole time when they want to be playing with their friend instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First graders don't want three-year olds hanging around with them when they're with their friends. I'd also be annoyed if I were the other mom and you spent the whole time chasing after your three-year old and I spend the whole time watching the first graders. Let the three-year old do something with his dad!

There will be other kids on the playground besides the two first graders. Including other 3 yr olds. The 3 yr old doesn't need to be chased and will find something or play on or something to do. This is a complete non-issue. Bring the kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is crazy. It is a public playground. Of course the little one can come. People have more than one child. I would expect if i invited someone to a playground for a playdate, siblings may come too. That is how it works. If it was a home playdate, I wouldn't bring the little one though.

For crying out loud, no one is asking if the 3 year old is legally allowed on the playground.

I don't understand how people think their children are so interesting that other people want to hang out with them. If I were the other mom I either only have a first grader or I'm leaving my other children at home for this play date. So then you bring your 3 year old and all of a sudden now I have to try to hold down a conversation with you while you're watching after your little kid? 3 year olds can be nightmares at playgrounds. That doesn't sound fun to me. And yes, I have multiple children, close in age, and all the same sex. But no, I wouldn't bring them all unless I had to and then I would make it clear to the other mom that that was the condition (i.e. my husband is out of town so I can bring Amy but Brittany and Charlotte would also have to come).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First graders don't want three-year olds hanging around with them when they're with their friends. I'd also be annoyed if I were the other mom and you spent the whole time chasing after your three-year old and I spend the whole time watching the first graders. Let the three-year old do something with his dad!

There will be other kids on the playground besides the two first graders. Including other 3 yr olds. The 3 yr old doesn't need to be chased and will find something or play on or something to do. This is a complete non-issue. Bring the kid

You don't see how a three-year old that is related to the first grader is going to want to play with the first grader far more than a random three-year old on the playground?

And ok, I can't think of the last time I went to a park and the moms of the three-year olds were just sitting quietly on the bench knitting...