Being taken advantage of by other parents

Shepherd1

I could have written that post myself only difference is I only have a daughter. My daughter doesn't like playing at her friends house's and when out playing they always come to my house for drinks, snacks, toilet. I now only let them play in the house if it is raining outside because I was sick of having kids running all over my house all the time, I like you work three days.

Last year during the Easter holidays I had one little girl turn up on my doorstep at 9 every morning and would stay all day, I got really fed up with it and started sending her home at lunch time. She would be back 15 mins later and stay till I sent her home again at dinner time.

I have started to say no friends in today as I just dont feel like my house is my own anyone, one little girl was also going into my fridge and helping herself.

Spendless

Are you inviting them or are they calling for your children and staying? If it's the former then cut down the invites, if it's the latter I agree with LE speak to your kids. Tell them in advance, if anyone calls to play you are to go out or be in the garden. I lock my doors front and back when mine are playing otherwise I constantly get their mates wandering in. If they want something like a drink or the loo they can knock.

Shepherd1

In my case it's not invites they just turn up and that's exactly what I have started doing. I have told my daughter she is to play out unless it's raining and then they can play in for a while, I have also started locking the door because as you say they where just coming into my house and letting the dog out in the process.

RAS

milliemonster wrote: »

But my main argument is that I always seem to be the one who has my kids friends over for lunch, to play, sleepovers etc and my kids, even if they call for their friends always end up bringing them back to my house and end up spending their time at mine. I am getting a little fed up of it, a few occasions now it turns out their parents have even gone out shopping etc and not even told me so I end up babysitting their kids as they can't go home because there is noone in!

Make sure that you have all the parents mobile numbers so that you can ring or text them.

And if they have done it before, when you ask for the number explain that you wanted to contact them when their child needed to go home and were unable to do so because they had gone shopping, so for the future you need their number and one for someone who can collect the child when it is time to go home.

If it turns out that little johnnie cannot go home because mum/dad have gone shopping ring them and ask who is picking the child up in 10 minutes time because you are going out.