Play Date Ground Rules

Play Dates: Kids love them and parents...well...

OK, so over the past few months the thing I have learned about play dates is they are Wonderful, Marvelous, Fantastic, and the Best; When my kid goes to someone else's house!!

When the kid comes here, it's hit or miss.

It's not that Morgan has bad friends in fact I like most of her friends, but kids tend to have ideas that I'm sure they know aren't ok at their home so they bring them to mine...

and right now I just have to say: "I'm sorry," to all Morgan's friend's parents who have let her come over for play dates. I can just imagine the things she gets your kids into, and the mess she leaves behind. Bless you for giving me a peaceful afternoon!!  

So, back to my rant: I have found ground rules need to be established for play dates!  I have, also, found it very hard to punish something that wasn't directly told was wrong, yet fell under the category of "you should know this".

My new Play Date Ground Rules: 

Rule #10: You must ask parents if play dates are ok and not just assume we have nothing better to do.
  
Rule #9: No play dates will be had if after play dates all I hear is how much you dislike your family.  

Rule #8: Snacks are a privilege and will not be given to kids who get in my face and yell. "Snack now!"

Rule #7: Don't expect to get your things back if you lend them to your friends.  It is not my fault you lent them your favorite doll after I suggested it wasn't a good idea.  

Rule #6:  you Must clean up after a play date and it does not matter who made the mess.

Rule #5: No you may not paint the surface of the desk and call it OK, because your

friend thought it was a good idea. 

Rule #4: No you may not go in our storage/laundry room and pull everything out. 

Rule #3: You may not use your baby sister as a doll because she is more fun than your dolls... (she is crying because she doesn't like that...)

Rule #2: you may NOT lock your 2yr old sister in your closet even if she is bugging you.

Rule #1: we canNOT give your friend a fish to take home even if they ask nicely.


So those are the new ground rules and I'm sure I am going to come up with many more as Morgan gets more creative with ways to get into trouble on play dates...