<p>We often take our Ds and a friend or two to dinner when we visit. Not always, but often. With D2, many of our own friends have kids her age there, so it usually ends up being a fun, big party of very old friends with our kids who have known each other from birth, along with one or two or their own friends in tow. Breakfast tends to be just the family.</p>
<p>Good memories of this. It was helpful in freshman year to help develop friends, and then we found the invitations were still welcome into soph and jr. years, too. We offered what we could afford, and said "bring on ‘a few’ friends. </p>
<p>Ha, once we were able to bail out our son from an ongoing debate with his then- g.f. My H is a real “shmoozer” as a life pattern, and this includes wait-staff at any restaurant. S picked up that habit, only to find his first serious college g.f. accused him of flirting too much with waitresses.</p>
<p>One evening, H, g.f., and S-1 all went out to eat together. Afterwards she told my S, after watching my H order, that she now believed S was only doing what he learned from his Dad, so wasn’t ticked off any more about it. Problem put to rest! </p>
<p>Later into sophomore year, we worked up (through S) permission for me to come to a kitchen-lounge with a big picnic of home-cooked food. Then he invited a dozen friends, and it was very affordable and fun.</p>
<p>Once, when on campus for family weekend, I’d made a reservation for 6 at the only good restaurant in town. At the last minute, I found out that my son had only secured one friend, so we were just 3. We got to the restaurant and they couldn’t seem to regroup and I felt terrible. Then a party of 3 showed up without a reservation and joined us. The family was from Germany and we had the best time with them! I never over-reserved again though. These restaurants need to maximize their profits on these few occasions. Getting pizza would be different.</p>
<p>We deliberately DON’T go to Parent weekend, so we can choose another weekend and take S’s friends out at a time when this seems like a splurge. As many friends as can make it.</p>
<p>Partly depends on your budget, what your family prefers and how often you intend to visit. Flying across the country is different from a 30 minute drive, so the logistics will obviously make a difference. Best to discuss with your son/daughter ahead of time to avoid any misunderstanding. If you take a few of their good friends out to dinner, their friend’s parents may include your son/daughter when they happen to be visiting. </p>
<p>Even during a parents weekend, some of their friends may not have their parents around for any number of reasons. Good to include them in your plans when appropriate.</p>
<p>Love sharing meals with our children and their friends. Lots of laughs for the price. 
Wish I could do it more often! D is out of college now, but we will jump at any chance to see her and her friends, even if it means we buy dinner. S is still in college (900 miles away) and he knows his friends are always welcome to join us for meals when we visit, usually two times each year. Sometimes he will bring just one friend… sometimes there will be so many that a second car is needed. He appreciates being invited by his friends’ parents, too.</p>
<p>We have seen D twice and taken her and a friend to dinner both times. It is great to get to know the kids they are becoming friends with at college.</p>
<p>Marie51, I had the same question in my mind! Thanks for asking and thanks to all those who responded.</p>
<p>We always take our kids out to eat when we visit and let them know they’re welcome to invite a friend or two to join us. They don’t usually take us up on the offer to bring a friend, but occasionally they do. I love getting to know my kids’ friends - they’re usually fun, interesting people. I also enjoy having time with just our kid - it allows for more free conversation, and discussion of any problems or concerns they’re having. Whichever our kid prefers is fine with us. I know my kids have gone to eat with some of their friends’ parents and have enjoyed it.</p>
<p>Yes. Have taken out 1 friend numerous times, 2 kids a few times, and 5 kids and probably numbers in between. Happy to hear them talk about school life.</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, have you thought of having your son’s friends over for a home-cooked meal? Special memories especially for kids from far away.</p>
<p>Busdriver–it is worth the money, I promise! Watching your kids grow with new people is priceless</p>
<p>Deb922 - did you do something different for family weekend during her next year of college?</p>
<p>Sadly no, everythingbut. We just couldn’t afford it. Between fall break, parents weekend and thanksgiving and then coming home for winter break, there was only so much we could do. We talked about this possibility when she decided to go so far away for school. I know I sound mean but also we discussed that she needed to be proactive. Just try and find rides home or at least to her Aunt’s home for breaks and she wouldn’t do it. </p>
<p>When it’s all you can do is try and meet your EFC and related expenses, parents weekend which costs $1,000+ was just not something we could do.</p>
<p>A few of her closest friends. (1-3) We enjoy their company. We generally go out to eat several times during a visit - so we take friends to dinner, but there’s a nice breakfast where we enjoy JUST the company of our D. Her friends are okay sleeping through that one, and it gives us a chance to visit with her in private.</p>
<p>Parents weekend at D’s school seems MOSTLY geared towards Freshmen and their parents - and it’s PACKED. D asked us if we would wait and come a different weekend her sophomore year, and we were glad to do it! :)</p>
<p>Yes! Do try to visit on another weekend to maximize special time with your child (and possibly his roommate and/or significant other.</p>
<p>Make sure you get a few meal alone times especially freshman year. It takes a little while for my D to get talking about the important stuff & it won’t happen if there are friends there. When we there for parents weekend - we knew so many people that we kept getting interrupted by well wishers. I felt my D (& I) was ripped off from relaxing with together.</p>
<p>We/I are only at my daughter’s College once or twice a year as we live three thousand miles away. We/I have no problems having private time as we are there for a day or two when we visit. Going out to eat at a nice restaurant is a high priority for my daughter as she is a food hound and wants a change from College food. We always take a friend or two along as we want to meet and get to know her new friends.</p>
<p>Yes! Decades later, I still remember going out to dinner with my college roommates’ parents when they came to visit. Those dinners were a real treat.</p>
<p>When my H and I were kids, our friends were not welcome in our respective houses. Thus, I spent a lot of time at my friends houses, eating dinner, even going on vacation with them. We said when we had kids, their friends would always be welcome, and that’s the way it’s been. How do you go into your kids room and say, c’mon, J, let’s go out to eat, and leave her roommate there when you know her parents only come when they absolutely have to and then disappear as soon as they can?</p>