Those of you with kids close in age, regardless of genders, know play dates can be challenging. It can work when one child is over who interacts with both little people under your roof. Case in point today when a former preschool friend of Charlotte’s visited who also knows Thomas because she’s now one of his classmates. Bonus–both kids like her and want to be around her. But it’s another girl so coloring and playing babies are preferred activities; whereas Thomas would rather play a video game or wrestle with stuffed animals. It helped that a neighbor girl, also 3, stopped by and joined Thomas doing puzzles. Uneven-numbered play groups never work out as effectively at our house. Then there is the issue of who to invite and whether to include the sibling. One family down the street has a boy a bit younger than Thomas and a girl maybe two years older than Charlotte. It works well when they come over as both sets of parents want our sons to play with more boys. (Because those of you with an older girl know that your little boys always end up as the third wheel in the two-party girl get-togethers.) Another family has a girl Charlotte’s age and a boy who’s older–but a boy so nice and well-behaved he likes to play with someone as young as Thomas and he’s some times willing to do so, which is great. Bottom line: Thomas is still too young to handle friends coming over and the sharing that should come with it. Yet since depriving his sister of regular visitors would be like cutting off her oxygen supply, a balance is continually trying to be struck that will not leave her brother running to his room to pout or being bossed around by older chicks. Again, something he has the rest of his life to look forward to–ladies always telling him what to do.
Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 44
This post was written by Tara on February 19, 2012
My experience was that when other children were in the house my children would do things they would never think of doing when it was just our family. Hard to discipline when other people’s children were there and all the children were part of the unacceptable behavior. We have 6 kids and I would rather not deal with that dynamic of other children in the house. My children are older now but “play dates” were never something I looked to initiate. Kids just played. And the more outside the better.
I had only two children but Diana, I agree with you completely! The vacant lot next to our house was often the place for a neighborhood baseball game, hide-and-go-seek, etc. That seemed to work much better!
I agree with Diana and NE Iowa Mom. After dents in a brand new washer and dryer from throwing a screw driver to try to stick it in the drywall……..that was the end of “play dates” at our house. Plus big sister has friends over, little brother gets into trouble trying to be part of the fun. Little brother has friends over and they pester big sister. There was too much age difference at our house for “play dates” to be anything but not a pleasant experience for mom.
I really enjoy reading baby steps.It is harder to get into lately. I liked it when the blogs came up right away.