https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:59:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2630074 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 13:42:54 +0000 Boogs 2630074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pancakes: Lol I would have probably done the same. So awkward! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2630052 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 13:15:30 +0000 Pancakes 2630052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: I have done the shameful thing and just stopped answering texts and emails. I'm not confrontational at all. This mom would invite us over and then I would end up supervising/playing with the kids in her daughter's room while she did other things (like visit with her mom). The playdates always had to be at her house because she was pregnant and didn't have a car and it was winter...so after a couple times of that happening I just stopped responding. Probably not the best thing to do, but it was effective ;) Fortunately she wasn't someone I would run into on a regular basis. I wish I had just had the nerve to tell her I didn't like being left alone to watch her kid, but I couldn't think of a tactful way to say it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629964 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:24:13 +0000 Boogs 2629964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@psw27: He's 5 so that never happens, but I would still make that up haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629901 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:48:37 +0000 psw27 2629901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: Plus there is always the "oh he's melting down and needs a snack, time to go!" excuse hahaha... I'm so bad! Maybe she is hoping your LO will be a good influence on her LO if he's kind of naughty! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629888 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:31:53 +0000 Boogs 2629888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: Mine's fault, but he's a follower so I worry about him picking up bad behavior. </p> <p>@Andrea: I feel mean, but I almost would rather avoid the kid than the parent. Though the mom says she would love for them to be bffs and I definitely don't see that as a good fit!</p> <p>@psw27: She did suggest a playground, and that's some great advice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629868 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:12:44 +0000 psw27 2629868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess if it were me, I would suggest a low key playdate - like meeting at a playground where you can have the excuse of chasing your kid around if you don't have anything else to say to the other parent. Plus playground implies a short period of time, at most an hour really! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629860 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:01:32 +0000 catlady 2629860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: There is a mom who does this to me and I usually just agree to one every so often and it hasn't been so bad. I think we've actually only done like 3 in the past 8 months or something. We also schedule them around lunch so that we have an easy excuse to leave quickly for LO's nap. The funny thing is, after our last one (we did a picnic lunch), I realized I actually enjoyed myself. So you might end up surprised, too. Agree it's tough if you don't want to hang out with their kid though. In our case as well, I feel her daughter's behavior is a bad influence on mine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629728 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 04:34:55 +0000 Andrea 2629728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: Also, all our play dates are drop off nowadays so I'm not stuck making small talk with parents from school. You say that their boy has exhibited some bad behavior so maybe that wouldn't work for you either, but then at least you don't have to socialize with the parents. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629701 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 00:32:08 +0000 Boogs 2629701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: I wish someone else was included, let them set it up and flake last minute. Oops maybe that's mean lol. I'm such a weasel. 😜 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629691 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 23:11:33 +0000 Corduroy 2629691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you don't want to blow her off maybe play up how busy you are and propose group play date with other classmates. Or not. I would probably weasel out of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629640 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 21:09:59 +0000 Boogs 2629640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: Our weekends really are usually packed! And DH isn't always home so when he is, I like having the occasional day with no real plans since it's such a treat.</p> <p>@Andrea: True, true. And maybe with winter coming up it'll get easier to dodge future park meet ups. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629611 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:15:45 +0000 Andrea 2629611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: Trust me, I dodge a lot of play dates until it seems fishy that we are always busy, lol. But also, if you're lucky, that one play date might satisfy them and they might not ask you again for a long time. I've had that happen a few times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629604 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:07:26 +0000 PinkElephant 2629604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boogs: honestly I would probably ignore the email, and if she brought it up in person, I'd say something along the lines of not liking weekends to be super scheduled, saving them for family time, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629573 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 19:34:01 +0000 Boogs 2629573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Iced Tea: I know, trying to think of something that doesn't sound bogus lol.</p> <p>@Andrea: Ugh you're so much nicer than I am lol. I know that's probably what I should do, but they go to the same school, were on the same sports team in the past, and have been at a couple of group functions together, which is why I know I don't want to hang out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629541 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 18:53:26 +0000 Andrea 2629541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would just have one play date and see how it goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629490 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 18:13:06 +0000 Iced Tea 2629490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess you will have to find a reason to turn down playdates in general if she asked like that. Maybe say your weekends are crazy hectic and you couldn't find the time? Or that you have committed to spending time with relatives on the weekends? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629459 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:31:34 +0000 Boogs 2629459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@youboots: The woman is nice enough, but not someone I would want a full friendship. And the kid, he's pretty naughty so it's not something I want to hang around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629458 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:30:18 +0000 Boogs 2629458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: They sent an email asking to set one up one of these weekends. Then I always see them in passing frequently at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629456 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:29:27 +0000 youboots 2629456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just tend to be non committal. For me it's more about not wanting to spend time with the parents. There are just people who rub me the wrong way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629445 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:19:25 +0000 PinkElephant 2629445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you already commit to the playdate?</p> <p>If someone is just casually suggesting it, I think it's easy enough to be non-committal and never propose a playdate time yourself. If they reach out to you with specifics, usually turning them down (big sis has a ballet class, we need to get groceries, doctor appt., etc.) a few times will make your point in a subtle way without necessarily being unkind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unwanted-play-dates#post-2629440 Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:13:10 +0000 Boogs 2629440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This might sound mean, but I know there are others out there who get invited to play dates they don't want to attend. So, how do you get out of play dates with people that you don't want to hang with? </p>