Is a Seven Yr Old to Old for My 2 Yr Old to Play With?

I think its just a case of the child not having another kid to play with. If you had a 7 year old and a 2 year old (siblings) they would play together and you would think nothing of it. My son is an "only" and I wish he had other kids to play with. When you see siblings play, they always play rough together. The younger kid is always getting knocked down and learns to get right back up. No big deal.

Like what the others said, trust your intuition. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the age difference, it's just that particular boy. Many of us mommies always doubt our decisions because we're afraid that we come off as mean and snotty. It's not, we're being careful mommies. Good luck. Besides your son will have a hard time conveying to you if the other boy is being rough or mean. Don't do it!!!

I think a blanket statement of saying an age difference is too much is not valid... Every child is different-- there are some who do well with kids who are much younger. However... this particular child is too rough with your son and doesn't listen to you, so I don't care how old YOUR child is nor how old HE is. I personally would not be OK with having a child play with mine who doesn't listen to me, espcailly if he is playing in a way that could harm my child.

I had a similar situation with a neighbor 11 y.o. who would come by to play with my 5 y.o. I thought it was weird, but then I came to the realization that it was more about me than my child. This kid really needed a more responsible, available grown-up in his life than he had at the time. That became crystal clear to me when I insisted on talking to his mom to make sure she understood who I was and that her son was spending time in our home. There were some difficult things going on at his home, and he just didn't want to be there. I hope that is not the situation for your neighbor, but just something to consider. (In my case, they ended up moving before the end of the school year, so that was the end of that.) Try talking to the child's parents to see how they feel about the situation. Good luck.

Absolutely not too old. My youngest son, now 10 has been playing and entertaining my neighbors now 5 year old since he was probably 3. It was always in her house or in my house, so obviously one of us was there. He is so adorable with him and gets down on his level and really is precious with him. I think it is a blessing that this little 7 year old is willing to entertain and play with your little guy. Obviously you aren't leaving them out in the yard to play alone... being that your 2 year old is still so little, but I would totally NOT discourage it!

I would have to say as a mother to three boys that yes this is to big of an age difference. If they were siblings I would say no problem but as they are not I would say no.

If that is the intuition you have about it, then listen to it.

Not all 7 year olds, "know" how to play with a toddler or baby or younger child. And you CANNOT assume that they 'are" responsible enough. They are not.

The age difference, to me, is too much. Unless the 7 year old was his own sibling... but still. A 7 year old and a 2 year old do NOT have the same developmental abilities. AND, your 2 year old "cannot" defend himself nor know fully what is right/wrong or fair or not.

AND you would not want your 2 year old to pick up bad/negative habits, from t he 7 year old. Since you feel, that the 7 year old is not appropriate.

CERTAINLY, there should ALWAYS be direct supervision, IF the 7 year old comes over. Never left alone with your son, even for a second. Accidents can happen.

Listen to your red-flags about it. Never mind about just letting it happen out of being "polite" or social pressures. YOUR son's safety and development comes first.

All the best,
Susan

If you don't feel comfortable with it then it's probably not a good idea. That is a big age difference but if they play well together, then I don't think it would be a big deal, especially if they're cousins or good friends of the family. But if it's just a neighborhood kid wanting a different place to play and he's more of a pain then a blessing to your child, then I'd discourage him from coming over...

It's REALLY an individual thing according to the kidz and how they connect with one another. We lived on a tiny Island for 8 yrs. and have permanent gaurdianship of 3 of our Grands,there were only about 18 kidz of all ages and they all played together & did really well. Now that we are on the Mainland that continues with the children around here.
That said if you have bad vibes maybe the boy is just not the 'right fit' for your son, if he is being rough, remember that 7 isn't so very old and they do still need to be reminded of 'boundaries' when playing with others regardless of their age. You may want to go over to the 7 yr olds house, introduce yourself and check out the parents and their take on it by asking about playdate times, etc. that would give you perspective on their lifestyle and how they are raising their son.
Again,it really is a personal thing, usually if something triggers your 'Mom Alarm' you should pay attention and check it out until you get the 'good vibe' about the situation.

I think that the age difference means that the kids will play differently and they are most likely interested in different kinds of things. Sometimes that kind of play can be fun (like one is the teacher and the other is the student), however at 2 years old, I'm not sure what sort of interactive play your son is ready for yet. The poor little 7 year old is probably just in need of a playmate with so few people on your street! If you are up for watching both I think it would be fine, and chances are after a few playdates the 7-year-old will tire of the fact that your son is just not "In" to the same things he likes and may stop coming over. Good luck!

My girls used to love playing with my girlfriends daughters. Age difference was 6 to 8 years. They found lots to do togehter. At times the age difference can be a problem because there are many activities the younger child may not be ready for.

It's proably a good idea to limit the play dates and when they do occur make sure they have activites that are appropriate for both of them. In a year or two, they could become great friends, or the older boy could develope different interests.

Updated

My girls used to love playing with my girlfriends daughters. Age difference was 6 to 8 years. They found lots to do togehter. At times the age difference can be a problem because there are many activities the younger child may not be ready for.

It's proably a good idea to limit the play dates and when they do occur make sure they have activites that are appropriate for both of them. In a year or two, they could become great friends, or the older boy could develope different interests.

It really depends on the seven year old. Some children are better with such a large age difference than others - this child might not be used to playing gently with a much younger child. trust your gut on this one - if it doesn't seem like a good fit, it probably isn't.

I think it depends on the individual child, not the random age of a child.
My nextdoor neighbor has 3 daughters, 15, 12, 8. The eldest has only been mildly interested in my 2 year old since he was born...occasionally giving him a hug or saying he was cute. The 8 year old wanted to carry my son everywhere and treat him like a baby doll, but was easily distracted and self focused when playing so often it wasn't a good match up. The 12 year old is my son's idol. He asks for her daily and when she comes over to play, he thinks his entire universe is painted with gold. :) It's not about the age, but the individual.
It sounds like the 7 year old you are dealing with isn't a kid I would particularly enjoy having at my home at any age...rough, doesn't listen. That's not an age issue, but personality traits that just aren't desirable. If he doesn't follow the rules when in your home, then you can always use the age issue as the reason not to have him over...but don't assume all 7 year olds are too old for your son.

Too old. I have a 9,7, 5, and 3 year old myself. The older two rarely play with their brother (3) as their interests are not the same. They let him play with them mainly because I push it.A child that age should not want to play with a 2 year old. Sounds like he may be lacking in friends his own age, but that is something his parents need to deal with. Speaking from a BAD experience I had when my 7 yr old was 4, politely tell him he is too old and suggest he look for friends his own age.