Politely setting boundaries with houseguests

suejb2

I've read the 6 pages and and your reactions to their actions are making me angry.You're 20+, a teacher, own home, blimey give me their contact details and I'll tell them they can't come!

[Deleted User]

melanzana wrote: »

That includes any cleaning materials that you might be worried about others ingesting....

Miss I, you seem worried about them going though your cleaning cupboard. If they do you could always ask them if they were looking for the polish as the dusting does need doing!!

Seriously though, I think children of these ages know you shouldn't ingest bleach or cleaning fluids, mine are 5 and 6 and it wouldnt occur to them to drink these things, they know its not safe! Or put it another way, they are several years older than mine and the other day I explained to my two that the antibiotic tablets in the kitchen were "Mummy's medicine", not sweets. I needed to leave them by the kettle to remind me to take them. It was met with looks of disdain and "Mummy we already know, you didn't need to say". If mine of that age know these things, then a 12 and 7? year old should surely be. It sounds like your toddler proofing.

I agree with the others, send the email in advance, if they don't like it tough. I'm sure your heart will be in your mouth if you get a reply, but seriously, your home, your rules and they are taking the p2ss as it is.

Any actions or questioning of your authority, can be met with "My house, my rules" or more politely "Well in my house I ......." or "Well you asked to come and stay, this is my home, not a hotel". I'm sure you could think of many more. Its just about not being a doormat. They should be accommodating their behaviour to fit around you, not you tip toeing around them in your own home.

Shocking!!!

[Deleted User]

suejb2 wrote: »

I've read the 6 pages and and your reactions to their actions are making me angry.You're 20+, a teacher, own home, blimey give me their contact details and I'll tell them they can't come!

I read the 6 pages too as I just couldn't believe what I was reading....if it wasn't for the fact I knew Miss I was a regular poster I would have considered it a wind up!:rotfl:

No offence meant Miss I!!

MrsE_2

*max* wrote: »

I would never, ever put a lock on my own bedroom door, in my own house, just to keep away other people's unruly kids. If they can't be trusted to not go in after being told, they don't get to stay - simple. Honestly...

I agree with this.
10 days, blooming hell!!!!

Ms_Chocaholic

houseimprover wrote: »

I'm sure it was meant with no harm but you either have OCD or you don't and if you do have it its not a nice thing

http://www.ocduk.org/ocd

No official diagnosis, probably more so than I dare to admit to, never checked though. Sorry if I've offended anyone, wasn't intentional but I have many of the traits I'm sure.

onlyroz

I think that you should:

- Put anything you don't want them to touch into your room and lock the door (including your baking stuff, fountain pens, nice paper etc etc).

- Provide them with a cupboard and say "you can put your snack food in here". Don't buy them any treats or snacks for yourself, and hide away anything you already have in the house. You can always tell them that you're on a diet, and then offer them some carrot sticks.

- If you prefer to cook their meals then say "I'll do the cooking, you can do the washing-up and drying." If they don't do the washing up then pile it neatly on the side. When the next meal time comes round say "Oh, are you hungry? I'll start dinner once the washing up is done. And then get out your newspaper and have a lounge in your favourite easy chair. By which time it will be nicely congealed and will take them twice as long to do.

- If you find them in an area of the house that you don't want them in then put on your best stern teacher voice and treat them like the naughty brats they are. Give them the naughty step, withhold treats like dessert after dinner. And ignore their father if he gets stroppy with you.

Ms_Chocaholic

Could you get something like this, it's only £6, frighten the living daylights out of her LOL

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTION-SENSOR-ALARM-SECURITY-SYSTEM/dp/B004W6ZJEU/ref=sr_1_3?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1375739013&sr=1-3&keywords=wireless+shed+alarm

onlyroz

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

Could you get something like this, it's only £6, frighten the living daylights out of her LOL

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTION-SENSOR-ALARM-SECURITY-SYSTEM/dp/B004W6ZJEU/ref=sr_1_3?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1375739013&sr=1-3&keywords=wireless+shed+alarm

I'd buy one and keep it in reserve for when/if the first warning is ignored.

miss_independent

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

No official diagnosis, probably more so than I dare to admit to, never checked though. Sorry if I've offended anyone, wasn't intentional but I have many of the traits I'm sure.

I think I was the first person to bring OCD to the thread MsChocaholic, so I was probably putting words in your mouth! I said I am a bit OCD about cleaning. And I genuinely do have OCD houseimprover, it was diagnosed by the Educational Psychologist aged 4, its continued to affect me through my life. Of course it isn't nice (especially when you are 11 and think that the only way your family will be ok is if you keep pulling out clumps of your hair, or when your hands are raw because you can't stop washing them and using antibac hand gel) but I find humour helps me and nothing MsChocaholic said offended me.

Metranil_Vavin

Just the thought of having house guests to stay for 10 days makes me shudder....