The Problem Playdate

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Emma had a playdate a few weeks ago. The friend has been here several times before and has never been a problem, so I expected nothing less this time. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Since it was a Friday, I suggested that Emma invite her friend to stay for pizza. Emma wanted Dominos pizza and her friend excitedly agreed. We are off to a great start.

OK, so at about 4:15, the mother drops off the friend and I ask her to come back at around 7:30 for the pick-up. Everyone is in agreement. Excellent.

At about 4:25, Emma and her friend come downstairs for a snack. What? She's been here 10 minutes and you need a snack? But we're having pizza in an hour. Go play. I mean, seriously, is the girl here to play or to eat? Please.

I give them each a small bowl of Cheez-Its and a drink. They seem happy for the time being. But somehow I know it won't last too long. After the snack, they go back up stairs to the playroom where they happily play until the pizza arrives at 5:30. I serve them each a slice of pizza and another drink. While they are eating, Emma asks for more napkins. OK, but I thought I placed a heap of them on the table, knowing how kids can be when eating pizza.

As I am taking the napkins to them, I see a pile of bunched up, dirty napkins in front of the friend's plate. What is that, I'm thinking, and of course, I have to ask. They are napkins with sauce all over them. Apparently, the friend isn't into eating sauce on her pizza that particular day. Did I lose a bet? Is this some sort of punishment?

The friend eats the pizza without sauce but only bits and pieces of one slice. I now have a trash can half full of napkins and almost two whole pizzas staring me in the face. What now?

The girls clean up their dishes and go back upstairs to play. Meanwhile, I clean up the kitchen while I fume over what has just transpired. Seriously. I thought all kids like everything about pizza.

In 10 minutes, they are downstairs again. Emma tells me that friend is hungry for a snack. Well, of course she is, she barely ate her pizza!!!!!!!!!! At this point, I am pretty much at my wit's end, but trying not to show it. I don't want either Emma or friend to think I'm the least bit annoyed by this nonsense. They're just kids after all.

I give friend yet another snack and start counting the minutes until her mother comes to pick her up.

Once she's gone, Emma and I sit down to have a little chat about playdates and snacks. And before our conversation is over, I make sure that she never, ever, ever displays (even remotely) that kind of behavior at one of her friend's houses.

3 comments

Katie from ABC&123: A Learning Cooperative said...

I am so glad you talked with your daughter about this, I bet her friend's mother would be mortified if she knew. I would be!

Thanks for your support with my new blog Sheila, I appreciate your comments over there!

This is Katie from Katie's Nesting Spot

Karin Katherine said...

you are right. You can't make that stuff up! I would laugh but for fear of it happening to me!

Miti said...

That's one thing I'm not looking forward to - dealing with Mason's not so well behaved friends coming over. Who knows...maybe his friends will end up being perfect angels.....yeah right....who am I kidding!