Do you let neighbours' kids into your home/garden?

[junipertree2]

Just putting this question out there for a few responses, since we are at the start of the summer break and kids will be milling about for the next lot of weeks.

To what extent do you allow the neighbourhood kids who are friendly with yours into your house? Do you let them into the children's bedrooms or limit them to a small area?

Are you happy with other kids in your garden, or do you worry about being liable for them in the event of a mishap? And if children just move there from playing in the street (i.e. not 'invited' in), are you then responsible for them?

My own mother was quite strict about this and would only allow a couple of friends into the hall on a wet day, no kids upstairs, and maybe only just friend in the garden. Just wondering what other people's views are?

That’s weird. Our neighbours kids can use any of our house and garden, likewise our kids go to theirs. Why would only let them in the hall?

It’s a bit different for us as we live on a boat, but are moored. There are 2 families next to us and their kids are allowed in our garden basically any time they want, and can go into our boat (if adults are there too) but not into our bedroom

My children's friends are welcome in our house (my bedroom/garage and loft excluded). Well, not so much for the past year, but in general.

“Neighbours kids” - no, but we don’t live on a street where children really play out anyway, it’s generally more arranged playdates . My children are welcome to invite their friends here whenever we aren’t otherwise busy, in which case they can be in the garden, the living areas downstairs or my child’s bedroom. I don’t allow child visitors into other bedrooms or the office.

If they are their friends they can play in the garden. If its wet and there aren't too many of them they can go into a bedroom/spare living room.

My main concern is that they don't interrupt me! I'm not concerned about being liable/responsible.

How old are the kids that you are concerned about OP?

Maybe this is just cultural difference (I'm in N Ireland), but kids do tend to be discouraged from hanging out in houses and gardens, unless a playdate, sleepover etc. I grew up with friends who were even stricter than my mum...she wasn't some houseproud dragon or anything - just liked her privacy.

Kids who play with my children are welcomed into the garden/house/whatever. Only rule is no kids in my bedroom. I want to have a house where anyone is welcome whenever they want.

My house is typically like a creche, I've got 4 dc and they always seem to have at least one friend round each. Not unusual in the slightest during normal times for me to have 10+ dc in my house/garden.

My son's best friend calls me 'Other Mum', if that answers your question! DS's friends are welcome in his room and in the garden, and are often just generally floating around.

How old are they OP? If they're old enough to be out playing in the street without being supervied I'd say they're old enough to be playing in my garden without me being responsible. If kids come in my house then they're allowed in the kids bedrooms and general areas (kitchen, bathroom, living room etc - I'd discourage kids from my room or the office unless they had a reason to go in there!). My DC's local friends will sometimes knock if they're outside my house and I'm happy to have them in if we're free.

They’re welcome in the garden and house. I’d probably ask them to leave if they went into my bedroom but nobody has gone in there yet so it hasn’t arisen.

Honestly I love the idea of a houseful of kids, but we’ve never done it purely as we have no kids on our street!

Soon to move and will finally have a garden, kids are a bit older so hoping we can do it now.

Ask me next year and I might say something different

We have a few neighbours whose kids are friends with my kids and they are over a lot. They play out in the garden or in bedrooms/the play room. I like the kids having friends to play - it would be different if the kids in question were rude or annoying, then I wouldn’t want them over.