How Do You Handle Children Fighting On Play Dates?
It’s inevitable–when children spend a lot of time together there’s bound to be some fighting. Whether they’re four or fourteen, kids and their friends don’t always get along well. Of course, by the time they’re fourteen, having friends over doesn’t really qualify as having play dates, but when they’re younger it does. As the hosting parent, it’s sometimes hard to know how to handle the fighting, when to intervene and when to leave it alone. Anticipate situations that might trigger fighting and be proactive in avoiding them. Put away your toddler’ s very favorite toy and don’t ask him to share it. Make sure there’s more than one soda left in the fridge and don’t ask your friend to bring her daughter with her if you know she’s dating the guy your daughter likes. Intervene if someone’s going to get hurt. Take away anything that is being used as a weapon and separate children who are physically fighting. Once everybody’s safe and calmed down, you can decide where to go from there. Use the
