Want to Be a Better Play Date Guest?
Bad playdate guests are real.
So incredibly real.
In fact they’re becoming more of the norm. So much so that families seem to be closing their homes to guests with kids.
Why?
Because of the fear of a bad playdate guest.
Let’s be honest.
It’s extremely rude to just angrily blast your guests with a “You are being rude, selfish and I don’t want you to ever come back to my house!”
Most of us just force a smile, wave, and quietly return to our home with a sigh as we brave the wreckage that was left behind.
Maybe you’re a bad playdate guest but no one has ever let you in on that little secret.
Take an honest look at this list and double check your and your child’s behavior when you’re a guest at a playdate.
Maybe you don’t take it to the extremes listed below, but if you start leaning that way, definitely try to change things up a little before you become an infamous bad play date guest!
How to be a Good Playdate Guest
Playdate Guest Tip #1: Don’t come an hour late to the playdate.
Life gets busy and chaotic with young kids, but an hour is a little crazy to be late to a playdate.
However, it’s a recurring habit for some parents.
If you’re going to be more than 15 minutes late, take a few seconds and give the host a call or send a text.
Playdate Guest Tip #2: Don’t let your child pull out every single toy in the house.
Closets, bookshelves, beds — your child is known to dig into these and pull every single stuffed teddy, rubber duck, and race-car out.
The house begins to resemble a landfill by the time you and your child is ready to leave.
Yeah — this is kind of my pet peeve at playdates!
Playdate Guest Tip #3: Don’t leave dirty diapers for your host to pick up.
If you’re at a playdate, the host mom completely understands about soiled diapers.
Under normal circumstances she will not be grossed out if you toss the diaper in the trash can or her diaper pail.
It’s a waaaaay better option than leaving the soiled diaper on the coffee table, living room couch or floor.
Yes, this actually happens.
Trust me.
Playdate Guest Tip #4: Don’t complain about the food.
Some play date guests prefer whole wheat bread instead of wheat, and they don’t care if their host knows it or not.
Or, perhaps the guests prefers sandwiches over chicken nuggets or pizza.
Either way, a bad play date guest will always find a way to complain about the food being served by the host — and kids take their cue and do the same.
Don’t be that guest.
How to Be a Polite Play Date Guest
Playdate Guest Tip #4:: Thank the host for the food or invitation.
It takes time to prepare a house for a playdate.
It also takes extra funds and planning to get a kid and mom-friendly menu ready for the play-date.
Themed play dates, like this super-cute unicorn play date theme, takes a LOT of planning!
Add a fun craft and it’s even more time and budget consuming.
Though most playdate hosts don’t live for a “thank you,” it’s still just simple courtesy to thank the host for the time, thought, and money invested in your playdate!
Plus, it’s a great opportunity to teach your kids to say “thank you!”
Playdate Guest Tip #5: Don’t ignore the host’s house rules.
If your host has a no shoe policy in the house and don’t ignore it.
If your host has a no food outside the kitchen rule, don’t ignore it.
If your host has a “three toy rule” outside of the kid or toy room rule, don’t ignore it.
No running in the house rule?
Don’t view it as a suggestion.
If you constantly ignore a hostess’s house rules, you will be considered a bad playdate guest for sure!
Do you ever host play dates?
How Can Someone Be a Better PLay Date Guest?
Share your thoughts with us in our Parents Connect group on Facebook!
