Playdate Etiquette for Toddlers

Some months ago Alex and I joined a local group here in Greenville and we now have the privelege of attending playdates on a regular basis. Luckily, I am part of a wonderful group, and never had to give playdate etiquette a second thought until I started hearing horror stories from relatives and friends regarding their experiences in their respective playgroups. Apparently there are actually parents out there who don't know what's expected of them (and their kids) when attending a playdate.

So I pulled out my handy dandy parenting books, searched the internet high and low, spoke with various frustrated parents, and finally came up with three basic rules for playdate etiquette.

The first, and most important rule of playdate etiquette is to keep your eyes on your child. Coming to a playdate does not mean you get a couple hours off from parenthood. On the contrary, when playing with other little ones, especially those around toddler age, disagreements are the norm. Be prepared to redirect your little one at any time, for varying reasons.

A normally ignored Mr. Potato Head has the potential to become the most desired object in the universe as soon as one other child wants it. Also, don't tell other moms to "feel free" to discipline YOUR child (The exception to this rule would be if you are visiting someone you are close friends with, and more importantly, someone your child is comfortable with). Other moms are not going to feel comfortable potentially upsetting your child (consider what happened last time you told your child "NO"), and they should not be put in the position of needing to do so in the first place.

The second rule is simple. Bring backup supplies. Diapers, sippy cups, snacks, whatever your particular munchkin might need in case of a sudden meltdown. If for some reason redirection to different toys fails to work in the Mr. Potato Head scandal, the promise of a quick snack just might.