https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:37:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/play-dates-resulting-in-your-childs-poor-behavior#post-251425 Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:12:23 +0000 Red 251425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Your situation is tough one and I don't have any specific advice. I have, however, had an issue with a friend with a son that always pushes my LO around. Her son is older than my daughter by 4 months and at first I let it slide since her son was young. But when he reached 18 months and was still bullying my LO, I knew I had to do/say something.</p> <p>It wasn't that her son was a bad kid, it was that my friend wasn't disciplining him effectively. She would chastise him when he'd throw sand at my LO, but it really was just lip-service since he didn't face any real consequences for his actions. Like you, I scheduled less play dates with her and even tried to subtly suggest some books on toddler discipline that I was going to buy. </p> <p>Finally one day, we stumbled into a discussion that became a bit personal and awkward. I told her that I didn't feel comfortable letting my LO play with her son because I didn't want LO to think it was ok for her son to hit/push her. It was definitely awkward for a few months but we're hanging out again (though not as much). I think she found some truth in what I was saying and paid a bit more attention to her son's behavior. Good news is that he no longer pushes my LO around.</p> <p>Sorry for the novel. You should see what details I omitted, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/play-dates-resulting-in-your-childs-poor-behavior#post-251144 Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:24:54 +0000 erwoo 251144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So about two years ago my 3 y.o. and I met a mom and her toddler who is a month younger than my son and we just hit it off - me and her mom and my son and her daughter. Since then we've been scheduling play dates and also have made plans for our toddlers to take classes together. My friend's daughter is definitely more wild than my son. My son has always been very cautious and very well-behaved when we are out. </p> <p>However, recently he's been acting out a lot and misbehaving when we are out, especially with his little girl friend. He started copying some bad table and restaurant manners when we go out to eat. He used to sit in his high chair the entire time we're at the restaurant but now he wants out as soon as she wants out. And, mind you, she doesn't normally sit in high chairs and is only doing it b/c she wants to be just like my son. They pretty much copy what each other do and eat. She'll blow bubbles into her milk cup and make a mess and he'll do the same. She'll scream and he'll scream. My son's not a screamer. She'll throw food/something and he'll do the same. You get the idea. It's not a pretty sight nor does it sound good. It can be pretty embarrassing. It's one of my worst nightmares, really. I really like her mom and we both just had a second child and both boys also a month apart. I enjoy her company but am fearing that her daughter has become a bad influence on my son. :\ So now I try to limit play dates to once a week at most and sometimes every two weeks. I would meet up more often if it wasn't so tiring constantly telling my son to stop yelling/screaming or doing this or that. I'm exhausted by the time I get home; and then having my son nap has been a battle lately too. </p> <p>Have you experienced this with a friend? What would you do? It's not as if my friend doesn't discipline her daughter, because she does. I think she's just a wild child. Just sucks for me b/c I lost my well-behaved little boy. :) </p>