There are many things my toddler is good at, but when it comes to playtime, the Little Mister has got it sorted. He’s 18-months-old, and he’s one little boy who likes to play. In fact, he loves to play. And what does he do? Or how does he do it? It is all by instinct. Of course it is.

Which is why when I read this article in the New York Post on playdates I felt immediately saddened and like the world had gone a little bit crazier while I wasn’t looking. In the ‘exclusive’ expose, we’re told that posh Manhattan parents are spending US$400 an hour on ‘recreation experts’ for their four-year-olds. They set up playdates and then teach them how to play. The aim of the game is, ultimately, to get these little people into exclusive private schools. The playdates are intended to help them impress the admissions…