To enforce rules when a child stays at my house?

[CattyBrown]

A friend of mine sometimes gets stuck with childcare and I am more than happy to have her little girl stay over, she is a lovely little girl. But, chatting with the little girl today, she asked me what rules I have in my house that my dc have to abide by. When I told her she was gobsmacked (She is 7) and let out a big sigh. The rules that I have always had are:

No being cheeky & answering back
No lying
No jumping/climbing on the arms of the sofa
Use your manners
Don't play with food

I know I mention the word enforce, but, I'm no way a dragon, if the rules are broken I just remind them. Obviously if they play with their food it gets taken away and if they don't say please or thank you they don't get treats.

I personallyd don't my rules are bad & would be quite happy for my children to go to a friends house who had the same rules.

Sorry what's the problem?

Definitely not being unreasonable. Your rules aren't draconian and if she is a lovely little girl you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

It's not a problem WorraLiberty. It's more of 'should this little girl follow my rules'. She doesn't seem to like doing what she is told.

Of course she should.

They're not unreasonable rules! They're basic bloody manners.

Has your friend indicated that she doesn't want her daughter to be told not to be rude or to lie or to be ill mannered or to wreck furniture?

well if she wont do as she is told i wouldnt keep her again those rules are basic and doable even for a cheeky spritley 7 yr old, your house your rules she will be fine

My friend hasn't said anything to me, but has been here when I've asked her daughter not to jump on the sofa and remember to say her manners, and my friend seems quite happy and lets her stay here on a regular basis.

Maybe it's just me being over paranoid

Manners are my biggest bugbear, I cannot abide bad manners.

Imagine if she decided to ump all over yoursofa would you let her and then tell your own not too

Of course she should follow your rules, it's a no brainer.

UMP I MEAN JUMP obv

I think you are being over paranoid , those are fairly basic rules as far as I'm concerned.