to think 8am is a bit early to have a small visitor?

[Scootergrrrl]

One of DD's friends, who is six like her, turned up on the doorstep at just after 8am asking if she could come in and play. Is it me being idle or is that a bit early? We were only just sitting down to have our breakfast!

V early. Is there a story with her parents?

I know both her parents and I'm almost 100 per cent certain everything is fine there. She's had her breakfast (I asked!) and she's properly washed and dressed. Maybe she just got up early?

Hairytriange - why assume there's a problem?? Most kids do get up early - especially in the holidays!!! It's sods law

I don't think the parents should let them out to call for friends before 9 though, not all families are early risers when they don't have to be and even if they are, most people like a slow start to the day in the holidays. I'd have told her to come back later on and that we don't 'play out' till after 9 - hopefully then she wont knock so early again.

Too early imo, ask her to come back later

Yeah, it's early! we are early risers, (I say we - I'd stay in bed til 9 or ten if I could, DS is a 5 am kind of lad) but I wouldn't imagine visiting anyone, or allowing him to call on someone before about 9 or ten.

However, it's easily done, if someone has been up since very early with an excited child, waiting to be allowed to call for x, then you could concievably forget that others will not have been up as long as you

Noone knocks for ds until 10 , I sit around in my pants and like to take it easy on mornings off.

Six years old? Where are the parents?

Keen, which is sweet, just tell her nicely when to come back.

A 6 yo friend (not close) of DS knock at 8.30, we were still having breakfast, kids all in jim jams, so I asked him to call back later. He said he'd wait, I said DS would be quite some time. So he sat on the doorstep. I felt really guilty!

A couple of days ago, another not close 6 yo friend, of DD2's came to knock at 9am...I had just got out of the shower, kids in jim jams again so I let them chat on the door step. The child was staying at Grandpa's for the day, and had brought his dog out for a walk....while he slept in bed. [hmmm] The dog then pooed on the lawn and child refused to pick it up until I told her I'd take it and put it on grandpa's door step

I'd have sent her back with a note to her parents that 8am is too early

8 is early, but he had probably been up since 5 and badgering his mum to go and she kept saying "not yet" and gave in at 8?

I wish I lived somewhere my 6yo could take off at 8am!

Is it not rude for a child to come and ask if they can come in and play? (Ds is only 3 so no experience)

IMO, you should wait to be invited, or if you must knock, ask if child would like to play at yours. Sounds like the parents have turfed her out and told her to amuse herself

Just say you're still having breakfast and dd will come round to her place later when she's finished in about an hour or so.

We do live in a very very safe quiet place (think men with guns on the gate!) so the issue of children being out alone is not as it would be in a busy city, for example. I was more curious about whether this is some universally accepted time for beginning to play out that I've just missed!

I think 8am is definitely too early unless it is a prearranged thing. The parents should've known better IMO.

no don't think it is universally accepted LOL

I wouldn't have my dc out ringing people's doorbells at 8 much as I might at times like the idea

My mind was positively racing with what kind of incredibly polite euphamism the "small visitor " from your thread title could be. I'd decided against a morning glory scenario, as 8am is surely too late and was hopeful for a poo thread as they are always good value. Imagine my dissapointment when I opened the thread and realised you were literally talking about a small visitor. Take a shrieky YABU right in the earhole for being such a tease OP. Pah!