Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People can be so uptight. I get that 5 is fairly young for this- but my 9 year old routinely walks down the street knocking on doors asking if kids can play- and kids routinely come and knock on our door. I don't want to be that involved in setting up "playdates." If kids can come outside and play- great. If they can't- no big deal. I don't want a structured "5:30-6:30 pm playdate" My kids can play until I call them in for dinner.

Big difference between a 4 and 5 yr old and 9

And it sounds like it is reciprocated in your neighborhood and not just one kid being a pest. Completely different situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is standard practice where we used to live - out west. It is different here. Kids would just show up and ask to play and the kids play outside. I remember having kids at our house from school dismissal until 5/6pm.

I would suggest saying "playing outside only". I always sat on our front steps and kept and eye on the play, but there were always other moms around as well. Kids just roamed the street (safe street).

Really? Even the 4 and 5 yr olds? I could see elementary age, but not the pre-k kids

This is our situation with our next door neighbors. Both kids knock unaccompanied. They did at five and do now at six. It's wonderful that they can keep each other occupied. I do, however, insist on outdoor playdates because the other kid is so loud that he drives me crazy. They go home if they need snacks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love it if kids would come to our door to play! How wonderful!

Sometimes it is nice. But sometimes it is inconvenient and sometimes I don’t even know if parents know they are gone.

I find it pretty brazen to literally stop your car and have your young child hop out and go to essentially a stranger’s house and you peel off before the door is answered.

You're not a stranger you're a trusted neighbor. And it sounds like you're not a very good neighbor.

Anonymous wrote:People can be so uptight. I get that 5 is fairly young for this- but my 9 year old routinely walks down the street knocking on doors asking if kids can play- and kids routinely come and knock on our door. I don't want to be that involved in setting up "playdates." If kids can come outside and play- great. If they can't- no big deal. I don't want a structured "5:30-6:30 pm playdate" My kids can play until I call them in for dinner.

Big difference between a 4 and 5 yr old and 9

People can be so uptight. I get that 5 is fairly young for this- but my 9 year old routinely walks down the street knocking on doors asking if kids can play- and kids routinely come and knock on our door. I don't want to be that involved in setting up "playdates." If kids can come outside and play- great. If they can't- no big deal. I don't want a structured "5:30-6:30 pm playdate" My kids can play until I call them in for dinner.

The kids on my cul de sac play together, but rarely knocking on doors. They just go out and start playing and other kids will come out and join them. All kids stay outside - no kids inside houses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man you all wouldn’t have lasted a day in the 70s!

Lol yeah I think many of us did in fact already "last through" the 70s. Never once did I get dropped off down the street uninvited.

My parents never dropped me off unannounced. When we were older we knew where to find our friends, but at 5 most things were arranged.

We might have done this with the immediate neighbor, but no meant no and we were usually outside. If we were hungry we went home.

My DS8 probably does it more than the neighbors, because they're in summer camp, but yes, he walks over or they (brothers) walk over and then they all play in each other's yards. No phone calls. No drop offs. If they can't play, he comes back. If he can't play, they walk back.

Anonymous wrote:Man you all wouldn’t have lasted a day in the 70s!

Lol yeah I think many of us did in fact already "last through" the 70s. Never once did I get dropped off down the street uninvited.

We have neighbors (and an entire street) like that. Multiple houses have kids that come out, knock on doors, and hang around to see if kids can play. When kid(s) can play, parents say yes. When kid(s) can't, we say no. It's not super difficult. We know the jam.

The main rule for all of us neighbors is that the kids stay outside. They wander from one backyard to the next. They don't go inside so no one has to clean anything up. And no kids on screens. If it's raining, they don't play together. But mainly their on swings, bikes, sandpits or whatever is outside.

Honestly, OP, it's great babysitting if you can send them outside. If love this setup. Our kids get so much unplanned, free range play. Yay, childhood.

Man you all wouldn’t have lasted a day in the 70s!

Born in 1984, the only phone calls involved sleepovers and actual babysitting, we went to each other's houses and played indoor or outdoors. If for some reason the parents didn't want us inside they told us to stay out. Great childhood!



Anyway, OP just take the kid back home!

Anonymous wrote:It's probably lazy parenting. My brother allows his just-turned-5-year old to do this.

Yes. They started at age 3 in my old neighborhood. All these concocted scenarios about the reason behind it when it's most likely just poor parenting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the annoyance of this occurring everyday, but sheesh unplanned play used to be the definition of of childhood. Not everything has to be a planned play date.

I was born in 1976 and never had unplanned play time with neighborhood kids. It was always a phone call to the girl around the block or down the street.

I was born in 1976 and your experience was not the norm.

That was my experience. Always call. Parents always verified.

It's probably lazy parenting. My brother allows his just-turned-5-year old to do this.