Zeno's Bar & Grill

Pull up a chair and pop open a Pacifico. It's time for Thirsty Thursday. Join us if you want, invite a friend, and/or come back next week when we'll have a new Special. Today’s theme…Playdate Etiquette

Do you let the kids watch TV on a playdate?
Melanie: Only rarely. It’s such a hot button issue, I just prefer to avoid it. Luckily, the kids seem to prefer running around and spying on me anyway.

Kelly: It depends on the mom. Some of the moms I know are pretty strict about television viewing, and so for them the TV stays off the whole time. For other kids, I’ll let them watch one show, especially if I feel like the playing is getting a bit too wild and the energy level needs to come down a notch or twenty.


Do you do drop offs if you’ve never met the mom?
Melanie: I am awful. I couldn’t do it. I'm probably way overprotective. Also, there are some kids where even if I've met the family, I don’t want my kids to go to their place—based on data I’ve gathered on previous visits (violent TV on in background when I picked up, for example). I’ll bend over backwards and tie myself in a pretzel to get their kid to come to our house instead of vice versa. I hope that keeps working.

Kelly: Up until this year, the answer has been an unequivocal “no”. But, at the same time it was easy, my oldest was still in preschool, so it was accepted that you could tag along on a date or two. Plus, I knew the parents anyway. Now, it is less so and I’ll let them go if I know someone who knows the mom. Otherwise I’ll suggest the date be at my house.

Do you ask about guns in the house?
Melanie: I know I should, but I haven’t so far. My kids don’t go on playdates that often, so I guess I’m just avoiding a lot of these issues. Coward! (slaps self)

Kelly: Unfortunately, not directly. I do try to bring up this question in big groups to kind of suss out who has one. I’ve also talked to my kids about what to do if the child they are playing with brings out a gun.