Hosting a playdate can be great for kids as well as for parents! But, it shouldn’t be a stressful ordeal. Tips on keeping it simple and staying sane.
I have a neighbor who always has friends over to play mid-week. How can she do that and make it look easy? My house would never be clean enough, and I would never be sane enough on a Wednesday to invite a few moms from the park over…
^^ That was what I posted in a mommy group on FB years ago when my oldest was a toddler.
I remember feeling inadequate. Jealous. Envious. Disappointed in myself. Why didn’t I have it together enough to invite a few moms over and not be embarrassed of my house, have to cover piles of laundry and throw dirty dishes into the empty oven?
But here’s the thing that I’ve learned since then. You don’t have to.
Playdates really have become such a ‘thing‘ and have come with loads of stress and competition. I challenge you to invite over a few mom-friends (the ones who don’t care about the piles of laundry or dirty dishes) and let your kids play and socialize. No stress. Win-win for all. You will soon see that your house doesn’t have to be perfect, heck, your kids don’t even have to be perfect. You might make a few new mom-friends while you’re at it 😉
Host a Playdate in 2018 and Ditch the Stress
Looking to host a play date in 2018? Maybe you’ve never hosted a play date before. The good news is that a play date is easy. It’s nothing to stress about. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hosting playdates frequently. There is a lot of negative hype about play dates because moms stress themselves out about them. But you don’t have to! Here is how you host a play date in 2018 and do it right.
Make a new friend
Playdates are a great way to get to know someone. The first step in hosting a play date in 2018 is to make a new friend. Don’t be shy about asking another mom at the park or library if she’d like to get together. I think the initial asking is a little awkward, but remember this is how you’ll make new friends – and once you’ve found those moms who become part of your tribe, you’ll be happy you took this first step.
Understand what you signed up for
Don’t sign up for a play date if you’re only going to be stressed about it. A playdate does mean hosting someone (but, it doesn’t mean everything has to be perfect). It does possibly mean that your house could get messy and your children will have to share their toys. But, it also provides you with some really great opportunities to work your child through these situations gently, and with you there for them.
RELATED: Gently Parent Your Toddler Toward a Positive Playdate
Keep things simple
Hosting a play date in 2018 means keeping things simple. Set out some simple snacks like cut up fruit and crackers, and don’t go crazy trying to make your home perfect. Your new friends want to see the real you, not a fake version of you. Also, don’t stress your child out for the play date. Kids play well together naturally. If anything, we should be taking tips from them!
Accept help and be honest
When hosting a play date, don’t feel like everything falls on your shoulders. It’s okay to ‘say yes’ if the other family wants to bring something or help out in some way. Also, be honest if your kiddo isn’t feeling up to playing that day, or if you are feeling under the weather. The best mom-friends that I have are the ones that feel comfortable canceling on me if things just aren’t working out that day – and it feels good to have those kinds of relationships in my life.
Host a playdate in 2018 and make it epic. You can make new friends and be yourself, all while the kids have fun. Making new mommy friends and allowing your kids to make new friends is what life’s all about. So ditch the stress and have fun! These play dates are just as much for you as they are for your kids.
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*Photo Credit Deposit Photos: Funny little girl, kids playing in the room
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