Nothing puts a smile on your little one's face like that precious word "playdate." This sometimes helpful, other times nightmarish childhood rite of passage summons visions of laughter, toy sharing and silly surprises—for the kids at least. While having friends over can give you a few peaceful moments to sip coffee in the kitchen, it can also be daunting if things go awry. A fight over a doll, a hot chocolate spill on your new rug, or a sudden bloody nose, and the tide can quickly turn. Here are a few hilarious ways to tell that your child's play date is definitely over.
1. There's new artwork—all over your freshly painted white walls. While a little color is usually a good thing for any room, it's not exactly what you had in mind when you gave your child and her friend a box of day glo crayons to express themselves with.
2. What's that smell, you say? Well, it certainly didn't come from the dog. Your child's friend is enjoying themselves so much that they've left you a steaming stinky package behind the sofa as a token of their appreciation. Poop anywhere other than in the toilet is usually reason enough to pull the plug on any playdate.
3. The bedroom room looks like a tornado hit it...twice. Walking into your child's room to find a foreign land where Oscar the Grouch would feel more at home than in his own trash can is never a good sign. While the kids may be having a blast in the eye of this storm, all you'll be thinking of is the all night cleanup session ahead of you.
4. If this little friend won't stop crying, this little friend should go home. Missing mommy, having to share, and sudden sleepiness onset are just a few reasons why your child's playdate may turn on the tantrum, and if your own little one gets in on the act, you may just have to release and reschedule.
5. Kids get things stuck up their noses, and in their mouths and ears all the time—but if it's on your watch, and it's not your kid, this playdate has just turned into a play don’t.
6. Children are naturally expressive little beings, but a small smart alec is hard to navigate. Deciding what’s acceptable and how to discipline a neighbor or school mates child is a slippery slope that may have you spelling g-o-o-d-n-i-g-h-t sooner rather than later.
7. Hitting is never ok, but having a kid in your own home pummeling your child can feel like an invasive and compromising mini attack, leaving everyone feeling crummy and uncomfortable, especially if your child no longer wants to play with his tiny taunter. It may just be time to call in the mommy and call it a night.
8. Not only is broken glass or furniture dangerous, but even after you’ve ensured the kiddies are unharmed, you may still find yourself grappling with an undeniable case of ‘get this kid outta here!’
9. Spills, drains and stains are to be expected anywhere there’s a gathering of two or more children, but depending on the liquid and its location, this is a mishap that may have the power to shut down the playdate party. Water on the kitchen floor? No problem. Tomato soup on your beige sofa? Perhaps.
10. Walking in on your tot and a friend exposing their tiny private parts to each other will always come as a shock, and while a certain amount of curiosity is natural, it can still make the most evolved mama feel uneasy, and rightfully so, which means the other kid has got to go!
11. Make sure your child actually likes their little guest. As fellow parents who may like one another, we sometimes force our kids together in the name of mommy bonding, but it’s never a good sign if every time you check on your mini me’s, they’re in separate corners of the room hissing at each other.
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