Re. evicting other people's children from my house....

[RedHotPokers]

after they've been here ALL DAY playing with my DCs.

I just told them it was time to go home, got their shoes, showed them the door (in the nicest possible way) and said their parents were probably wondering where they were - byeeeee!

DH thinks this is a bit rude, and I should have offered for them to stay for tea, or waited for a while to see if they suggested leaving themselves. He thinks they will probably go home and tell their parents I rudely kicked them out. I think that seeing as I haven't seen any of their parents for HOURS, I am not BU to send them home! Also, if I give them tea with my DCs then their parents might not be happy with that (they may have their own dinner planned).

Btw, this was not any kind of pre-arranged playdate, this was an impromptu thing as a result of bad weather when they were all playing out (they are aged between 5 and 7).

So AIBU thinking that normal visitor courtesy doesn't apply to children?

YANBU at all. We have a family of 4 sisters in our road, and a couple of them regularly just appear at the door (or just walk into the kitchen - I've taken to locking the door now! ). I always say no if it's inconvenient, and send them home if it gets too much. They're lovely girls though so it's rarely a problem, and my DD disappears round there too. Sometimes I feed them, sometimes not, but I certainly don't feel obliged to. I'm less tolerant of the boy next door, because he's not very nice to my DD.

Not rude at all. I am quite happy to tell children thank you for coming to play but it's time to go home now.

and, a couple of times, sending them home with a flea in in their ear because they've behaved badly.

There's nothing wrong with it.

Or with doing the same with adults...

YANBU and as for running around knocking on parents doors checking its o.k for them to come into your house I wouldn't have done either, surely at 6 and 7 years of age they should know to tell their parents where they are? and if they don't then they really shouldn't be out without their parents watching.

yy maybe I should try it with adults too!

Not rude, YANBU. I do this all the time, since all the kids on our street treat each other's homes as their own. My neighbours' kids are in and out all day, and likewise my son is out in various neighbours' homes during the day. When I've had enough, I just say "time to go home now, see you tomorrow!". The upside is that DS is rarely bored. The downside is it can get a bit rowdy!