Since my kids are so close in age we have never really needed to invite friends over. They either play with each other or keep me spinning in so many circles that I am unable to actually leave the home and find them a suitable playmate so we stay home entertaining ourselves with a never-ending game of dress up and a few disastrous crafts here and there.
Until now.
Something is happening around this four/five-ish age. My kids are figuring out there is a world out there and not just any world, but a world of kids who might bring over a newer/better/more breakable toy than we already have and who might also like to share and not tell on them for eating cereal behind the couch.
Along with our new venture into Play Date Land has come a revelation… we may be unplaydate-able for several reasons (I stopped at five, I figured that was more than enough evidence).
Why we are unplaydate-able
1. We speak in tongues. No one understands us but us.
Growing up so close in age, my children have created all kinds of phrases that make no sense to anyone else on the planet. “Hit it in play” = turn the movie on, “girl ranch” = diary-free ranch dressing, of course.
2. Some words aren’t bad words they are just from a movie.
My son didn’t say “idiot” he said “eejit”, we let him watch Shrek too many times, plus I think it’s even Irish and so are we. Time outs require a greater offense.
3. When we change we CHANGE.
Since we’re all usually just family around here, no one blinks at stripping down to your undies before putting on the latest dress up clothes of choice. We’ve now instituted a “no taking off your pants in front of company” rule but it might be too late.
4. Our manners are, um, not impeccable.
I try, I really do, but while I’m stopping one child from saying “butt crack” and another from eating with the opposite end of her fork I might miss the one chewing like a farm animal and before I know it our sweet little guest will be “nom, nom, nomming” right along with him, reversing her years of well-taught table manners.
5. We have no shame.
Every thirty seconds brings with it a call to “wipe me” or someone tripping over pants at their ankles because they are “stuuuuuck!” or that same someone forgetting to empty their little potty into the big potty before our guest heads into the bathroom and falls into the potty seat thus scarring her cute little pig-tailed head for life.
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Hopefully the world of children under six and their parents are forgiving. Sooner or later my children’s plan to marry each other is going to get cracked wide open and they are going to need some alternates.
Do your kids do things at home that other kids would think are a little odd or is it just mine?
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Not only are we also unplaydate – able but I did not even realize it! Planning play dates never entered my mind. Fletcher and Alyssa always seemed to play with each other. I am still trying to figure out how to become playdate-able. If I figure it out I promise to share. xo
Sounds good. Mine are the same, they are perfectly happy to just play with each other. It’s just been lately that we’ve invited kids over and it’s shocking to see how much we are not ready for the rest of the world :).
xo
Um, this all sounds perfectly normal to me. We would invite you over to play.
(On that note, just had my friend Amina and her 4 kids, age 4-8 over to play with my 3. Chaos! But we thrive on chaos).
Sounds like a play date with my kids would be IDEAL for us all! LOL!
So funny…
Sounds like your kids would fit right in with my brood!
Well I’m glad it’s not just us!
Cady was five when we had her first big birthday party at the house with friends from school over. I was shocked to find all of the little girls exiting her bedroom decked out in her dress up clothes and nothing else. “Where are your clothes?!” And in my head, “WHAT ARE THEIR PARENTS GOING TO THINK?!” Luckily everyone was back in their own duds by the time the parents came, and the ones that weren’t had really, really understanding parents.
Oh yes, we have many of these same habits (is that the right word??) at home, too.
Humbling, embarrassing, but Us, right? 🙂
Yes very much “us” whether I am always proud to admit it or not :).
The part about having your own language made me giggle. I have that issue with our four year old. We understand everything he says and everything he’s asking for. Others? Not so much. 🙂
this sounds so very familiar. mine are now a bit older but we are still pretty home-centric and they are best friends and play together all the time. i like it – it means i don’t have to pick up or worry about what i’m wearing like i would if we had people over for playdates 🙂
I feel the exact same way which had me worried that I was going to turn us all into a bunch of introverted hermits but I’m feeling so much better after reading everyone’s comments.
Oh, Jessica, ALL kids are freak sandwiches with a slice of Wipe Me.
My daughter incorporates the word “vulva” into every other sentence and sings traditional songs in which she switches the real words for both made-up words and “poop”.
My son tries to speak but then starts laughing so hard he cries and falls on the floor and then it’s all over.
The end.
Feel better? Come on over anytime, we’d love to play.
Oh my gosh, my kids haven’t gotten that sophisticated with their body-party labeling yet. We are still at the “poop” and “pee pee” level. We may or may not be interested in a play date :).
Hanging out with my 5yo daughter is like hanging out with an anatomy teacher who just can’t help herself but educate all those around her in her spare time.
Haha… love this! I’m right there with you on #3. But I think all these are definitely forgivable!
I’m glad they are forgivable because sometimes I feel like I’m raising a pack of animals over here.
I think it sounds perfectly normal. Which is probably why we like to play with you guys 🙂
We are perfect for each other :).
Well, at least they do entertain each other. I laughed at #3. We do playdates b/c well, it’s just D and she needs someone to entertain her besides me b/c I’m boring. 😉
It’s so funny because mine have never had the need for them until now. It’s almost weird to hear them ask to have kids over because I’m so used to them just playing with each other.
Ha! I would love to have you guys over to play. 🙂
That would be a blast, I can only imagine the stories, we would have blog fodder for weeks.
I think that our family is unplaydatable as well, but I can handle this, I think it’s OK.
Ha! And this is why we don’t do playdates either!
I’m glad it’s not just me, I feel like it’s too much work.
I am right there with you. My three are just barely potty trained and are so used to playing with each other that adding another shocks their systems a bit. We do it anyways. Thankfully, I have very forgiving friends.
We do too, I had to send ours home with new socks and explain a few things to her mom (like the fact that she saw my son in his underwear twice) but thank goodness she just laughed.
Sounds pretty normal
We’re pretty unplaydatable too. But, it works for me because I don’t especially enjoy play dates myself.
Me neither, not sure if that makes me anti-social or just means that I really like my own kids.
I don’t think you are un-playdate-able. Aren’t most families like this? My son picked up the word “stupid” from some animated movie we let him watch and now we have to tell him not to say it in public.
A playdate with ya’ll would be waaaay more entertaining than with a well mannered, organic snacking, verbose four year old.
Well that makes me feel much better :).
Actually sounds so verrrry familiar!!!!! Love it.
Steph
So glad it’s not just us!