Play Dates: is there a list 5 Play Date Do's and Don'ts

How do you do the play date thing??  I mean what happened to just playing outside.   Does that not happen any more??   How does a block that has about twenty children under the age of 12 never have a child outside playing???  I think it is sad that children that are growing up together aren't growing up together.  Especially in this day, electronics rule the day and there are ACTUALLY SEVERAL 24 HOUR CARTOON SLASH TEEN CHANNELS our children should be running outside to play. Instead my eight year old daughter goes outside alone and rides her bike alone. Up and down the street, making noise hoping the noise will entice the other children to come outside to play with her.  It's sad really. 
Maybe I don't know the play date rules.

1. Do Not Ask more than once.   It get annoying after that! It's akin to your child doing the "mom, ma, mom, mooommmm, mama." bit.  I mean we all have full plates with our daily lives then throw in another child and all the "fun" stuff you have to do leads me to number two.

2. Do Not Make your childs play date your play date! The play dates that have occurred at my house have lasted realllly long and at the end I was very exhausted! It should be kids playing, not inclusive of me.

3.  Do Not turn play date into sleep over.  See number 2.

4. Do have a few open days when you call to ask the parent.  So it should go like this...Hi So-so Mom, we are free this weekend is So-so available for a play date?

5.Do know that you will be told no more than yes.  For your childs sake you have to ask again...via text....next month. 


So until we get some more play date invites my neighborhood will have to endure my child riding her bike or scooter up and down the street, writing with chalk on the sidewalks, picking of some flowers from some well kept yard, and/or screaming with glee.