Should I have been clearer with pick up times?

[FuzzyBumbleeBee]

Arranged a sleepover for dc birthday with an activity this morning

Invite stated we should be back from activity by x time with half hour variable

I have had to chase a parent to collect a child
They will apparently be here about 2 1/2 hours later than expected

Is it my fault not having the invite specific enough?
Have done similar before when an activity had a variable end time and parents have always been great about collection

Wasn't planning on an extra mouth for lunch either

I think you should have said clearly that all kids will need to be collected when you arrive back at x time- your message just sounds like you’ll be back at home after the activity and doesn’t say anything about the kids being picked up?

Did you say pick up was 10:00 to 10:30, or just that you would be back from the activity between those times?

It is perhaps implied but not clear. To be safe I would have simply said pick up at 11.

At least it's only one extra for lunch.

(ETA. My times are examples.)

Yes I gave a half hour window of arrival back as it was an activity that was dependent on tide and expertise

Never had to be so precise with parents before it's always been a given in the groups my dc are in that you arrive as close to as possible
I've learnt my lesson though

A half an hour window of when you will be back isn’t clear on when you want the children picked up.

I would have just said please collect at X time which was a time which you would definitely be back.

It sounds like you didn’t mention pick up time all so no I don’t think you were clear.

I don't think you were clear enough OP, but suspect this person is someone who would have taken the piss anyway. You should have said we will be back by 11 - please collect your child by 11.15.

In my experience you have to be very clear otherwise people interpret it differently. I would have just said "pick up at X time", and make it half an hour after the end of the window you expected to back by. It's only one extra for lunch though, not a big deal really.

You weren’t clear. Your message could have been read as we will be back at this time, kids/teens will chill for a bit. Is this the first time their kid has joined you for a group activity?

When my dc have sleepovers, we’re all very clear with one another EG “Fred’s welcome to sleep over but can you collect by ten because we have swimming”
I like the direct approach because we all know where we stand.

All this talk about “variables” is not very clear to me OP - “pick up your kid at 10am-10.15am.” Job done.

How old are they? If old enough that they have phones I'd have assumed that my dc would text me sometime after your window to tell me when to collect.
If younger, I would have asked for clarification because I wouldn't have thought your message was clear.

Why would you tell them what time you were getting back but not mention the time you wanted the children collected?
Sorry OP, this one’s on you.

Not clear enough. I'd expect they would want to hang out after activity
In my dd1 friend group the hosting parents often drop all kids home.

What exactly did you say to the parent when you invited the child?

You didn’t actually specify a pick up time. You just outlined the itinerary (which some parents like to know out of interest). I have always said please collect by x time. Dc friends parents have always done the same.

I would have had no clue if I’d received the message you sent (but me being me would have followed up with a message back to you saying “that sounds fun, what time would you like dc collected by?”