Letting Your Own Kids Go To A DCK's House

[sharlan]

Of course, mine are all grown up now, but yes, on occaision, they did go to the dck's homes when invited.

[sahm1225]

My son is going to a DKBs house for a playdate on Monday. The mom is a teacher and has the summers off, so she asked if she could 'borrow' my son for a few hours so that her little one wont be bored.

My son has gone one other time and had a blast.
I also go to the bday parties if we are invited. The kids look at each other as friends and they spent so much time together, that they ARE friends

My son is 3 yrs old, so once he starts school I am sure that will change, but until then, I don't see a problem with it. BUT I will say, that totally depends on the family. Some of them, I can see taking advantage.

[LittleD]

Well we are not best friends, I have been watching her kids since Jan. She lives down the street from us also. My son sneaks out to her house sometimes to play, even after they have been with me all day! Im glad they get along and want to be friends, but yes I feel uneasy about this and I will decline from now on. I guess they wont be going to a bday party for another DCB either.

I think it's different if you are with them. Then it doesn't become I watched your kids for free...etc. I'm going through this with my 2 dcb and their parents. I've had them for 2 years now, and we get invited to their bday parties, out to camp and she has mentioned a girls night drinking, LOL! We've gone a couple of times, with me or as a family event, and my husband and I have great chemistry with the parents. As for me letting my kids there by themselves, it won't happen. (unless a catastrophe hit and all of my family members, which are plentiful, were suddenly gone.) But I'm all up for adult only get togethers, or family events.

[QualiTcare]

I think it's different if you are with them. Then it doesn't become I watched your kids for free...etc. I'm going through this with my 2 dcb and their parents. I've had them for 2 years now, and we get invited to their bday parties, out to camp and she has mentioned a girls night drinking, LOL! We've gone a couple of times, with me or as a family event, and my husband and I have great chemistry with the parents. As for me letting my kids there by themselves, it won't happen. (unless a catastrophe hit and all of my family members, which are plentiful, were suddenly gone.) But I'm all up for adult only get togethers, or family events.

i agree about the "i watched your kids for free" thing. my children aren't allowed to go to other people's houses. they've accepted that fact of their lives. i did make an exception 3 times for about 2 hours each time because i needed someone to pick up my daughter after school and keep her until i could make it home after a long commute. a neighbor who has grandchildren her age who she is raising (and is a former daycare provider) volunteered to help out. i insisted on paying her and DID pay her because i didn't want to feel obligated to "help her out." sure enough, last week she called and said her kids wanted to come over and play. it just so happened that she was on her way out "to the store" when she brought them over. this was about 2pm. at NINE pm i saw her car in the driveway and was shocked that she didn't stop to pick them up or even call. i told my husband that if we ever needed a babysitter again that i would just call her and say, "the kids want to come over and play." there was no professional relationship between us and i really think that she "forgot" the fact that she got MONEY to keep my kid and figured dumping hers off on me was me returning the "favor." i can't imagine how sticky things would get and the tit for tat that would take place if it was a professional/money relationship involving "play dates." the first time you tried to enforce a late fee it would be, "well, i "watched" your child for five hours for free!" or whatever the case may be. i'm still shocked over my neighbor. kids coming over to play means they can be sent home at the drop of a dime. babysitting means they have to stay at your house regardless. it's amazing that some people don't get that.