How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

My DS is 4.5....

We live on a small block of 3 houses and we are in the middle...

On one side the kids are 8, 6 and 3
The other side the boy is 5.5

DS is pretty friendly with the 5.5yo and
plays occasionally with the other kids but to be honest, my DS is a little too immature for them I think...They are nice enough to him but I have a feeling he annoys them


My DS harasses me all day long to go to my neighbors houses to play and thinks you can just knock on the door and they will play...One issue is that the 5.5 yo's mom is a daycare provider so my DS cannot just pop over ( she'd be in violation) Hard to explain to a 4 year old ! They do play on week-ends sometimes...

The other kids more or less keep to themselves and play amongst eachother...We always invite them to all DS's parties etc.. and they always come ...I'm hoping next year when he is in school with them, maybe they will want to play more....

I just feel so bad for him, but at the same time he needs to learn social grace

Anyone elses DC like to invite themselves over the neighbors houses ??

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

It does get better when they all enter the same school (kindergarten) rather than being in different schools.
DD behaved very much like your DS. We have a neighbor next door and she is two days older than DD. Since they attended different nursery schools and activities they never really hung out much. This past year they were both in kindergarten and on the same schedule and they had a play date almost every week.

It is hard trying to explain to DD why you can't just call someone and expect to have a play date. In my town people plan things so far in advance. I hate this b/c I am not a planner. I wish I could just make a phone call and arrange a play date for that day. Now that DD is getting older (going into 1st grade) she asks me to arrange play dates which helps w/ the planning.

I wish it was the way it was when I was growing up. You basically just knocked on each neighbors door until you found someone available to play. Life was so easy back then!

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

We are having the same issue with Ava right now. We recently moved, and all day everyday she wants to go to the neighbor's house to play....problem is, the neighbor is 14!

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

My daughter's "boyfriend" lives next door and he is 5 months older. We constantly walk over and knock on each others door. It's just the way it is. Every night after dinner all the houses with kids come out and play if they are around. I like it.

I am not sure how I would handle it though if it was a business that he can not just go. I think Sept will bring many changes though.

Besides, you can always come knock on our door

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

I have always found that neighbor playdates are different than playdates that you schedule....

When the girls were younger they all used to play a lot after school. It kind of all fell into place as they walked home from the school bus....

Im sure once B is in school everyone will be more into playing during the week...

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

We have a rule that they cannot invite themselves to anyone's house. I know that sounds mean but after school starts, they'll be coming home & begging for a ton of playdates.

Rather than encourage him to play with the older kids, I'd push for kids his own age & start playdates with them.

As for during the week, if my son wanted a playdate iwth a neighbor who was a daycare provider, I'd either say he can't because they're working OR invite the child over to your house (that way she's under code)

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

Thanks everyone....

I at least know he is not the only kid who does this

It's definately different than from when I was growing up...Going to the neighbors w/ out my parents was the norm and vice versa...

It's rough on me right now because he is still of the age where I need to be there and I have my younger DD to consider...Oone of the sets of parents are a little lax for my liking ( at my DS's age he needs supervision I feel) ...

I think it will be better once school starts ( or at least I hope )

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids

Re: How do you handle this ? re- neighbors kids