[alphakappa]

I don't know if reimbursement happens, but kids will bring home a note with the contact details of their playmate, and their parents will schedule it. The whole calendar scheduling, driving, chaperoning etc are things that definitely happens. It's not the age of 'go play with the kids down the street', at least in the urban California I'm familiar with.

[whatshisface]

Just another datapoint, I've never seen anyone do that (I don't live in urban CA). I think you've just experienced how insular communities can descend into (I'm not trying to offensive in saying this) self-parody at blinding speeds, if they're cut off from outside mixing for too long.

[dfabulich]

Do what? Drive a kid to a friend's house?

[Sacho]

I think they were referencing the "go play with the kids down the street" part.

[uxp100]

I'm quite sure they were saying they've never seen this happen:

"but kids will bring home a note with the contact details of their playmate, and their parents will schedule it. The whole calendar scheduling, driving, chaperoning etc are things that definitely happens."

[dingaling]

What's also sad is that after schools most kids are bundled into a car and driven off to their next appointment. There is little opportunity for spontaneity in life for Car Kids. Like play-dates, everything is rostered.

There are a few who walk home from my son's school and it's great to see them take 30 minutes to play or even just sit together throwing cut-grass in the air.

[drzaiusx11]

My eldest (12yo) has several friends nearby (<2 miles, easy biking) and I always try and encourage her to just go out and meet up with friends. Its like a foreign concept to her though. I've finally had some recent success, but its just so weird that I have to prod her into what amounts to going out to have fun with friends.

Everything is too scheduled. Its hard to break out of the "if it isn't schedule, it isn't happening" model when everyone in the family is so busy. We try and encourage independence even in our youngest, but "free time" is at a premium.

NOTE: my kids aren't "neurotypical" and have lots of appointments, etc adding an extra layer of "busy"

[Cthulhu_]

Also if there isn't anything scheduled, they're driven home and will do what they like - back in the 80's, what Stranger Things likes to idealize, that was hanging out with friends, nowadays that's playing video games.

Actually Stranger Things already alludes to that.

[drzaiusx11]

My 5yo kid regularly comes home with a phone number scribbled down of their friend's parent's cell # that they got from a playmate from school. I've called and setup several play dates this way. I just drop my kid off to play at their house or have their kid come play at our place. Based on conversations with other parents in my neighborhood, this is the norm.

Sadly, kids in our direct neighborhood don't generally mingle or have unschedule play. Definitely different from the way I grew up (grew up in the 90s: little to no supervision, just wandered the neighborhood.)