After school play dates

[Boomerslady]

Just a random question to those who've had kids round/sent thier LOs to others. What sort of time would you expect a parent to collect/ask you to collect your LO.

Me personally I'd say around 5/5.30 unless the parent was working etc and I was doing a favour.

I ask because Ben is at one now, his second ever one without me there, with the same boy. Anyway last time was a Sunday, we went to soft play together and the boy wanted Ben over at around 3pm, the mum didn't mind, great....except I dozed off on the sofa and woke up at half 7 and no call to collect etc. He was so tired it was the worst journey home ever!!

So today after school they run out together begging for a play date, she offers to have them, and it's now 6.30pm and no call!!! I'm going to txt in a min and ask if he's ready to come home.

I think lm more annoyed though as I start a full time job on Weds and this is the second to last afternoon I have with him!! I said he could go as he was soo excited but I miss him

 

[LoraLoo]

We arrange times when the play date is arranged even if it's a spontaneous thing-that way both sets of parents and children know what to expect.

On a school night 6.30ish would be normal for Amy (6) - the child would have tea and then an hour or so to play afterwards.

 

[Boomerslady]

Thanks hun, maybe half 6 is the norm, 3 and a half hours just seems a lot to me!! She literally just txt to say he didn't eat his dinner so is still hungry so I'm going to get him and have to quickly sort a sandwich out when he's back.

 

[Vickie]

I tend to run the neighbourhood "gang" as my kids are always outside (we have a communal backyard area). I regularly watch one of the little boys who goes to school with Hannah. The mom knows that we eat dinner around 5:30 and either I drop him off at that time or she comes and collects him

They get off the bus around 4 and he goes home for a snack etc. first so I generally only watch him about an hour

 

[george83]

My lo is only 4 so slightly younger which may make a difference. If he had a friend over I'd probably aim to do tea for 5 ish and take the child back at half 5 - 6 ish. At the minute my lo is going to bed at 7 so anything much later than 6 would just make bed time difficult. I guess everybody has such different routines though it's difficult to know what to do

 

[Natasha2605]

I think for me it all depends on whether or not they are having dinner. I always sort a time with the other parent before hand so I'm worrying about when to pick up.

 

[Natsku]

When I was a kid it was always around 6/6:30 that I'd/my friend'd go home.

Edit: I babysit a kid after school and one day she said she wanted to stay longer so I told her to call her mum and check with her - she called her mum and said she's staying til 10 o'clock! Nope!!!

 

[RachA]

I always arrange pick up time when dropping off. It usually depends on if they are staying for dinner. If they are then it's usually a pick up of 6.30. If not then I'd do 5.30.

 

[kerrie24]

My children's friend have dinner then I drop them off at 6.30ish. If I didn't have the car their parents would have to collect them.

 

[alibaba24]

If it were me I would just say before I left I will be back to collect him at 5.30. she is probably trying to be polite but not wanting to tell you to come and collect your child. I know I would feel awkward having to do that. Also other families have to get on and get there dinner on etc so I would think 5.30 is fine x

 

[Cattia]

It's usually 6 if we don't know them that well, 6.30 if we know them a bit better and when we have tea with our best friends (which isn't really a play date as both mums are there) we often don't head back until about 7. BUt I would say 6 for a first or second play date and no later than 6.30 as otherwise they are going to be too late getting ready for bed.