Do you allow other kids in your house?

[minkajane]

The kids in the neighborhood are always trying to invite themselves into our house. They'll come knocking and asking for DS, then just kind of wander in when I go to get him. Others have specifically asked to come in. A couple of times, DS invited them in, just trying to be nice, until I told him not to.

My rule is that no kids except DS are allowed in the house because I don't know their parents. The vast majority of the kids in the neighborhood are between the ages of 4 and 9 and are completely unsupervised most of the time. I'm just not comfortable with a child of that age being in my home without having met his/her parents and understand their rules regarding their child.

What are your rules regarding other kids in your house? Do you insist on meeting their parents first?

[Lovemy3babies]

I dont. I am not comfortable, especially not knowing the parents. My problem is that my kids are all 3 and under, and I have 9 year old boys wanting to come in my house to play? Seriously, on multiple occasions, with different kids, boys, wanting to come in to play. I mean, I am sure it is innocent, but how do I tell the 9 year old boy who is always unsupervised and has no friends that he cant come in and play with my 3 year olds? Its hard.

He came in one day when i was grocery shopping and dh was here with the kids. He brought his fathers TOOL BOX into my home. Was coming and going, playing, running around, in the midst cant find the tool box. My husband is quizzing my kids and asking them angrily where it is. The kids runs home in a panic to tell his mom he cant find it, and lo and behold there it is. He had taken it home, dh didnt know, and thought he took it and one of my babies took it (a whole tool box?!). Uhg.

I let him come in my yard until about 2 weeks ago. My kids had to stay on the front porch while dh mowed if they wanted to be outside. So they were playing and I allowed him up there with them. He has a soccer ball. I am inside, the door is open, I am nursing Benjamin and all of a sudden he kicks the ball AT my daughters, my 3 year old daughters, face. She screams. I made dh tell him my kids couldnt play anymore. This is EXACTLY why I dont want older kids playing with my kids! They are just to old and dont know how to play with babies unless they have younger siblings, and this child doesnt!

Ok. My tangent. My kids arent even old enough to make friends in the neighborhood and we are attracting them. No, they are not allowed in either.

[UUMom]

I had 7 kids who are not mine in my house today.

[KarlaC]

I don't allow them in if I don't know their parents. If I do know their parents, I make the kids go home & make 100% sure their parents know where they will be with a phone call back to me.

They almost always do just because they know they get to have a home made cookie(I guess those are rare these days?) & get to pet our cockatoo

[AbbieB]

Most kids in our neighborhood are not allowed to play outside/at someone's house anyway so they do not play with DD. So playing inside never comes up.

The folks across the street have a granddaughter DD's age that visits a few times a month. We are becoming friendly enough with them that I would feel OK letting her play inside.

Honestly, after hanging out here for a few years, I feel like it's just not cool to allow another kid into your house unless you know the parents and there has been all kinds of permission given. I would never want to be accused of anything and folks seem so quick to freak out.

[PPK]

If they play well and keep ds entertained then I'm all for it, but we have a few rowdy ones that I try to avoid letting in. They all are 7-9 yrs old and completely unsupervised, I always make them call their moms to let them know where they are (although it seems like most don't really care to know).

[Mimi]

I prefer having children over with their mums, but i definitely prefer them here than at someone else's house, but there is no way i would allow a 9 year old to come over to play with my 3 year old, it seems pointless & not very safe.

-If the neighbourhood children play at someone else's house you're lucky, if they play in your house you are blessed.-