We play in the neighborhood. My 9yr old is off biking and playing until 5:30pm. I don't hover and thankfully most parents in our area don't either.

My 7yr old plays in the cut de sac. The kids plan a 4pm gathering after HW.

Anonymous wrote:No play dates and no neighborhood friends.

Applies to my kids too. Thankfully they have each other to play with but they are not the same sex so it is not always ideal.

No play dates and no neighborhood friends.

We average maybe at most 1 a week? Usually 3 a month. That doesn't count just running around outside with neighborhood friends. I try to get dd to pick someone to invite each Sunday afternoon as that is a good a slot for us.

I have found I need to push her a bit and be the one to suggest them often but they definitely help make and maintain friendships I think especially if they are not in the same class anymore or hey switch classes and do not really have friends in the new one.

I avoid the neighborhood playdates. I like to keep things friendly but not too close as it always seems to invite some sort of drama. Our kids are in private school so not so hard to avoid. For playdates in general, a lot k-2 and then less so with more work. An occasional sleepover is workable.

There aren't other kids in the neighborhood so we do a couple play dates a month.

Boy people are really snippy in the forums today. Checking for full moon -- nope.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like everyone's kids have lots of play dates, but mine rarely do and if they do it's with neighborhood kids. I'm not averse to it, the opportunities just don't come up. My kids have lots of friends at school and are well liked, play sports, go to after care, etc. so it's not like they are isolated. I'm not even sure how to make play dates happen if they want to do them. Are we weird?

I hope you are not bragging. Be happy that yours kids can just walk out of the door and play with neighbors' kids. That's how it should be.

Geez, of course I'm not bragging. What a strange reaction. I've just noticed that my kids don't do play dates with friends from school or other activities and wondering if that's uncommon.

I think that is a standard DCUM reaction to put down. Or you hit a nerve.

It's great that your kids have lots of friends and could probably have play dates you pursued them. (At older ages, kids usually initiate/arrange these.) It's the kids who don't have lots of friends and are socially isolated where it's a problem b/c they can't seem to get them.

The only playdate they have is with the child of a mutual friend of ours. So the adults hang out and the kids hang out. But school friends? No.

Thank you, PPs. I guess we'll just keep on doing what we're doing.

We very very rarely have them and our kids are in aftercare, too. No time during the week, weekends are for family and sports and aftercare is a big long play date with dozens of friends. The neighborhood kids so come by a few times a month but it's very informal and spur of the moment.

Why create more work?

We've got neighborhood kids up to our eyeballs and socialize with other families, but don't often do play dates with DCs' classmates. We've done them rarely in the past when DC had a clear 'best friend' he wanted to invite over, or to help with socially dynamics (encouraging new friendships when DC was feeling left out). Do what works for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like everyone's kids have lots of play dates, but mine rarely do and if they do it's with neighborhood kids. I'm not averse to it, the opportunities just don't come up. My kids have lots of friends at school and are well liked, play sports, go to after care, etc. so it's not like they are isolated. I'm not even sure how to make play dates happen if they want to do them. Are we weird?

I hope you are not bragging. Be happy that yours kids can just walk out of the door and play with neighbors' kids. That's how it should be.

Geez, of course I'm not bragging. What a strange reaction. I've just noticed that my kids don't do play dates with friends from school or other activities and wondering if that's uncommon.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like everyone's kids have lots of play dates, but mine rarely do and if they do it's with neighborhood kids. I'm not averse to it, the opportunities just don't come up. My kids have lots of friends at school and are well liked, play sports, go to after care, etc. so it's not like they are isolated. I'm not even sure how to make play dates happen if they want to do them. Are we weird?

I hope you are not bragging. Be happy that yours kids can just walk out of the door and play with neighbors' kids. That's how it should be.

It seems like everyone's kids have lots of play dates, but mine rarely do and if they do it's with neighborhood kids. I'm not averse to it, the opportunities just don't come up. My kids have lots of friends at school and are well liked, play sports, go to after care, etc. so it's not like they are isolated. I'm not even sure how to make play dates happen if they want to do them. Are we weird?