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.

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.

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.