Ask Kari: What should I do if the parents of my son’s friend never come to pick him up from our home?
Dear Kari,
My son’s friend, who is seven, comes over almost everyday to play at our home. My son enjoys his company and they get along great, but his parents never come looking for him at dinnertime or call to tell him to come home. He has eaten at our home more nights than I can count. What should I do to get his parents to come pick him up?--Free Childcare
Dear Free Childcare,
It sounds like you like your son’s young friend; you just don’t like the behavior of his parents. Taking into account that your son and he play very nicely together and have a good play relationship, I would either call or speak to his parents in person and confirm a pick up time prior to him coming over. Or if the child stops by on his own, call his parents at the beginning of the play date and confirm when they will be coming over to pick him up that day, gently reminding them that you like their son but have a full schedule in your home that you need to keep.
–Kari
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About Kari: Dr. O’Neill is a Doctor of Social Work, and a board-certified licensed independent clinical social worker. Dr. O’Neill completed her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Washington and her doctorate at Tulane University, and currently serves as an affiliated medical staff member at Swedish Hospital Issaquah.