Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 20:08     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sounds ridiculous and controlling


NP. What’s ridiculous is that 10 year olds even have phones.


OP did specify an Apple Watch. My 10 year old will get an Apple Watch if FCPS changes school times and she has to come home before I get home from work.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 20:06     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Parents rules. Plus I’m sure if the child asked / needed it, it’s not like it’s locked away.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 20:05     Subject: Playdate phone basket
I think this is reasonable for phones, less so for watches. I can't quite articulate why.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 20:04     Subject: Playdate phone basket
any parent who does this needs to make sure the parents of the visitors have the host's parents' phone numbers
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 20:03     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’d be thrilled too. Kids don’t need electronics while on a play date. Their house their rules.


Eh, if you're going to confiscate things, you should tell the parents beforehand. I would be fine a parent asking the kids to put phones away. Not fine with her taking them.


The phone is put away in the basket.


That’s very different than the kid putting their phone away in their backpack.

If the kid felt uncomfortable and wanted to ask their parent to come pick them up, they would need to go ask creepy mom to use their phone. For a kid who already feels uncomfortable and wants to avoid creepy mom, that could be really hard and extra stressful.


So kids can’t go on play dates until they have their own phones just in case the mom is creepy???
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 19:58     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’d be thrilled too. Kids don’t need electronics while on a play date. Their house their rules.


Eh, if you're going to confiscate things, you should tell the parents beforehand. I would be fine a parent asking the kids to put phones away. Not fine with her taking them.


The phone is put away in the basket.


That’s very different than the kid putting their phone away in their backpack.

If the kid felt uncomfortable and wanted to ask their parent to come pick them up, they would need to go ask creepy mom to use their phone. For a kid who already feels uncomfortable and wants to avoid creepy mom, that could be really hard and extra stressful.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 19:50     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:It's weird, but mostly because none of my 10 year old son's friends bring devices to our house. A few that walk over have gizmo type watches. I have no reason to confiscate anything. It would just make me wonder what the mom thought would happen if she didnt.

My son has no devices so im just not able to picture this being a thing that needs action.


Yeah, I think it’s a red flag to confiscate a watch.

Any time an adult tells a child they can’t contact their parents, the adult is the problem. It’s creepy and inappropriate.





Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 19:39     Subject: Playdate phone basket
It's weird, but mostly because none of my 10 year old son's friends bring devices to our house. A few that walk over have gizmo type watches. I have no reason to confiscate anything. It would just make me wonder what the mom thought would happen if she didnt.

My son has no devices so im just not able to picture this being a thing that needs action.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 18:25     Subject: Playdate phone basket
I wouldn't do it at my house, especially not with a watch, but I'd be fine with it happening at someone else's home.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 18:23     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As long as they could go get it and use it if they need it. Especially if they need something private - like period stuff or are uncomfortable and would like to come home without making a big deal about it.

Also ringer on in case I need to get in touch or at minimum let me know the house rules so we can plan for kid to be temporarily inaccessible. Would need parents info jic.


Just text the parent if you need to get in touch in an emergency. It's ok for the kid to be momentarily inaccessible and allowed to socialize without mom butting in with inane questions.


Interesting. So you think it’s appropriate for the host mom to butt into private communications between a mother and her daughter.

That’s controlling and creepy.

No wonder you need to hold kids hostage and physically prevent them from asking their parents to pick them up early.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 17:14     Subject: Playdate phone basket
It’s weird AF
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 17:09     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Just as it's always been - different house/different rules.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 16:40     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’d be thrilled. I hope I can be that courageous when my kids get old enough.


Me too. Elementary and middle school kids do not need unsupervised and unrestricted internet used, especially when in groups.


So phone basket for ES and MS are good but don't do it for high school?


If you’re having play dates in high school you have issues


I mean when my kids have other kids over. A hang. Whatever you want to call it
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 16:11     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:As long as they could go get it and use it if they need it. Especially if they need something private - like period stuff or are uncomfortable and would like to come home without making a big deal about it.

Also ringer on in case I need to get in touch or at minimum let me know the house rules so we can plan for kid to be temporarily inaccessible. Would need parents info jic.


Just text the parent if you need to get in touch in an emergency. It's ok for the kid to be momentarily inaccessible and allowed to socialize without mom butting in with inane questions.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2025 15:57     Subject: Playdate phone basket
Anonymous wrote:As long as they could go get it and use it if they need it. Especially if they need something private - like period stuff or are uncomfortable and would like to come home without making a big deal about it.

Also ringer on in case I need to get in touch or at minimum let me know the house rules so we can plan for kid to be temporarily inaccessible. Would need parents info jic.


Apparently kids are a lot more blasé about periods than we were in the olden days. My kid went to her male guidance counselor and asked for tampons in middle school. He had a drawer full of them. She and her friends didn't feel this was awkward (I asked). Some boys carry a tampon in case a girl friend has an emergency. It's not like when we were kids and hiding them up our sleeve.