Play dates are great for the social interaction of your children. My kids have had a database of play dates since they were small. Creche and school is great and they interact with kids on a daily basis but having a play date with an individual child is also very important I think.
Last weekend Chloe had a play date with her bestie in our home. The two of them are the same age and attend creche in the same class. She also lives literally two minutes around the corner. Even though Chloe is always on the shy side at first, in creche I’d say they are inseparable. The Sunday then Matthew had a play date, also in our home, with his creche and bus buddy. He is a year younger but they always sit together on the bus and always love playing in the creche.
He has not been on a play date before and so the mum was unsure whether she should stay and collect him later on. (PANIC minding a third child lol) I have actually never thought about the fact leaving Matthew or Chloe with someone in another house and come back an hour or two later. Chloe I would have assumed is still a bit young but Matthew at the age of 6 1/2, being an outgoing child, it might not be a bad idea. Whether he will let me go, is another question. We kind of got distracted in the end and started chatting in the kitchen with some tea and biscuits right to the end of the play date.
But not just play dates in our own homes are play dates. Over the past few years Matthew has been to several birthdays in soft play centres. Most parents are there to catch up and have a chat but some actually dropped off their child and picked them up two hours later. For me, I don’t think I would feel comfortable enough to do this yet. It’s like the day my kids first attended creche. Maybe it’s just me, I don’t know. I find it good to catch up with the parent too at the same time. Because let’s be real, what am I going to do at home for those two hours other than cleaning and tidying? That can wait. Kids can be social as well as the parent of each child as well.
What is your view on this? Have you left your child on their own at a play date or party? If so, what age were they?
