To the Editor:

When I read the headline “The Bad Playdate,” by Sarah Abenaim, I assumed the article would be about a child’s friend who was chutzpadik, exhibited other bad middos, or was a bad influence in some way. Much to my surprise, I read that the reasons this was a bad playdate were because the writer’s child and her friend did not have very much in common, could not agree on a game to play for a short while and the other child’s parents were late in picking her up. Abenaim wrote, “the next time my kids ask for playdates, I will be more discerning.” What a missed opportunity! A playdate is the perfect time for a mother to teach her child that there is give and take in a friendship. During a playdate, the children can take turns picking games. The child who is hosting the playdate can learn that as a good hostess, she should give in and play a game that she doesn’t prefer to ensure that her guest has a good time. Most importantly, a playdate is the perfect opportunity for a child to learn that friendship is about having a good relationship with another person, even when differences exist.

Tova Domnitch