Playdates - Palmerton,PA

My daughter is a 4.5 only, as well.

There is such a push lately to do play dates at such a young age. Is socialization important, sure. But she's getting interaction with children five days per week. If she is well liked now, when the time comes for more extra curricular activities, she will still be well liked.

Knowing the other parents is important, from my point of view, because I want to know, when the time comes for drop off play dates, who my child will be influenced by. But I honestly don't have the time to be friends with all my child's playmates and as a working mom, sounds like you don't either.

On some weekends we do birthday parties, vacations I send a general email invite to park/Zoo/Seaworld, but family time, for me, is first.

I never grew up on playdates. My mom did babysit another boy my age druing the summer but he usually played with my 3 younger brothers unless I tempted them all with candy to have a tea party with me, I was involved at church at an young age, went to school and part of summer programs (sports/activities). I had a few great friends and once we got older, since we lived on the same block, we got together without parents atleast once a week (more during the summer).

My daughter (4 1/2 years old) and I go over to another families house because the mom and her daughter and us have become great friends. I was apart a play date group for 3 years, till me daughter went to preschool, just so that once a week she would interact with other kids.

It is never to late to extend a hand or encrouage a friendship. If you are invited I would try to make arrangements so you can go, or if you know of someone your child is friends with feel free to extend an invite for a simple playdate or outing. It will help build a strong friendship between your child and their friend, no need to be besties with the other parents but you never know you may hit it off.

Yes, please start making the effort. You can elect how you define "family time"... it can be the three of you inviting another family over for a bbq and play time! It doesn't always have to involve extended family.

I will tell you that my son has been invited to playdates and birthday parties and we make the effort (same boat you're in) to reciprocate when we can b/c we don't want him to be excluded from future invites. It happens- people stop calling b/c you either can't attend or you don't reciprocate.

Pick up the phone and see if one of the other moms would like to meet you and your daughter at a children's museum or indoor playground this weekend. You don't have to have a playdate every weekend... but try for once a month so that you can get to know the parents too! As she gets older, you don't want to be overly hesitant for "solo" playdates b/c you don't know the parents. Take the time now and you'll be glad that you did!

Hi, L.:

First of all, it is difficult being an older parent.
Do you balance your work life with your social life
with your daughter's play dates?
There is no time like the present.
Good luck.
D.

Yes, you should make an effort. My parents were completely antisocial and I know from first hand experience it does have an affect. You don't have to be best friends with the other parents or anything, just nice and talk to people at the kids activities. I work full time too so I understand how hard it is, but including a friend every once in a while when going out for fast food or a trip to the park is not that much effort. My oldest is only 6 so I don't know about the time for this later part, but I do think it gets easier as they get older and get more into activities where you would naturally encounter the other parents. Best of luck!

If you would have said preschool, I would say, there is time for this later, but since she is in kindergarten, I would start making a little bit of an effort to get to know some of the parents of her friends in your elementary school community.

I can tell you from my own experience that there are some moms and dads who are just "never available" for play dates. And we eventually just stop calling those kids.

But as long as you make efforts to reach out to other kids from time to time, she'll make friends just fine. You don't have to be buddy-buddy with the other moms in order for your child to make friends. By kindergarten, you're just dropping the kids off anyway. You're not hanging around at the play dates.

We live in a pretty rural area, so getting together with other kids is something we really have to plan for...you may have to do the same, due to your busy schedules. You'll have to pencil in some dates on the calendar and then make them happen.
http://keystosimpleliving.com/