Play dates are generally a time for children to interact and play with their peers. The practice, however, has been turning into an event where mothers become social climbers and businesswomen.
The new concept of play dates is the center stage in the book titled "The Playdate: Parents, Children, and the New Expectations of Play" penned by Tamara R. Mose. In it, the author queried 66 parents, teachers and caregivers in the five boroughs of New York City: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.
Opportunistic Parents
Mose said parents use play dates to improve their social and career standing. There are times when fathers and mothers befriend and take advantage of a fellow parent's job. When they can no longer benefit from that arrangement, parents stop agreeing to play dates. This severs the relationships of the children with one another, the New York Post reported.
Indoor play dates are now the preference of parents over contacts in parks and playgrounds. This choice stemmed from the parents' fear of pedophiles and violence all over NYC. Indoor play dates, however, can have serious consequences.
There are instances when parenting styles clash. Children who are not familiar with rules established in a home that isn't theirs could grumble and complain to their parents. This could ultimately lead to the parents confronting their counterparts, and the end of play date sessions.
Play Dates Are Based On Status
According to the New York Post, parents often base play dates on racial, social and cultural status. Sure, they allow their children to interact with kids from diverse backgrounds outside, but when it comes to the ones they allow entry to their homes, the pick is limited. This phenomenon is called People Like Us, or PLU, syndrome.
In NYC, a place teeming with celebrities and Hollywood actors, parents get excited when their children are classmates with the kids of famous people. When parents gain this knowledge, some of them will do over-the-top measures to get a peek inside a celebrity's home.
Benefits Of Play Dates
Children benefit from a good play date environment. When they see good camaraderie between parents and caregivers, there's a huge chance that they will apply these early experiences later on in their relationships in the future. A play date is one of the places where kids develop the concept of friendship and companionship, the Huffington Post wrote.
Group activities like play dates and sports teams also help children stay physically fit and be motivated, according to USA Today. There's nothing more encouraging for children than being physically active alongside their peers on a pastime that they both enjoy.
