Playdate DCs haven't been picked up. Should I drop them off?

[Recordmirror]

So a mum from my DCs school asked me to have her two DCs today as her two are the same age/in the same class as my two youngest.
The DCs have been here a couple of times before but usually I arrange this with their dad and he picks them up.
But he is away on business and so their mum asked me to take them today as a favour whilst she is in work.

I've had them since 9 this morning. She was supposed to pick them up at 6:30. I called her at 7 and 7:30 and 8 and 8:15 but she's not replying. I have text her a number of times and nothing.

My DCs should be in bed. Her eldest isn't bothered but her youngest is getting upset saying that she should be in bed. I haven't told them that their mum should have picked them up by now.

Should I go round to theirs? I don't want to worry the DCs if their mum isn't there when we get there. But I would like to know where she is. So would I be unreasonable to go round there?

Hope she's turned up.

How worrying. Hope everyone is ok Op.

Clam everyone has been urging for her to call 101 for over the past hour. I'd have made time - the two older ones are 9 so bedtime for 2x4 year olds isn't that crazy that you can't make a quick call for a welfare check. Even if it means sticking the to on for 5 minutes. What if the mother is lying unconscious in her home and needs some help?

OP, you say that you usually arrange things with the dad. Did you contact him? I realise that he's away, but his phone will still ring.

I think the school would probably overlook uniforms on this occasion.

AngelaN's idea was great. Text saying you're calling the police, give it 15 minutes then do.

What a horrible situation. I'd def call 101 at this point.

Poor kids and well done you OP for being so calm after an entire day of free childcare!

Poor little buggers. I hope they're fast asleep. My D's 8 would be alright, if worried, but my 4 yr old dd would be distraught :(

If her phone has died, then even borrowing someone else's wouldn't necessarily help, as she wouldn't know your number offhand. Getting hold of a charger might not be so easy.

OP. You may be the only person to know the mother is late/missing. Therefore you may be the only person who would call the police tonight. She may need help, have had an accident on a deserted road or have been taken ill whilst alone or so on. She might be in the house unconscious or anything. In ringing 101 and reporting it you could get help to her tonight, whereas otherwise no-one will be looking for her until at least tomorrow.

My 7 yo knows where I work too. But then I work in a visitor attraction so it's memorable.
My 11yo (at the time) cousin was asked where his dad worked. He didn't know. His dad worked in an office and my cousin had never been interested enough to find out more. And since he'd never asked, no one had thought to tell him. When pressed, he answered "I really don't know. He never tells me... Hey, wait a minute, maybe he's a spy?"

So to those calling thus into question because a child doesn't know where mum works, it's entirely possible if it's something that does not mean anythingto, or generate any interest in, a child.

I've had parents arrive harassed and stressed at 10pm to pick up a playdate a couple of times, but never on a school night and mine are a bit older. Either a massive piss-take (even if she got stuck at work, you just can't do that) or really worrying indeed. Any childcare setting would have handed over the kids to SS by now.

Any news Op?

When did she last check up on them during the day? Presumably she texted on her lunchbreak etc?

Sorry, I don't believe I'm being overly weird by suggesting that the whole scenario seems well....odd

OP 'thinks' the mother might work in an office. OP has agreed to look after someone's else's kids for a pretty long day on a weekend (not including the time beyond 6.30pm) but doesn't seem to know very much or anything about what the mother does, where she works. If someone asked me to look after their kids for an entire Sunday due to them being at work I think my first question (merely for information) would be "oh wow that's a long day for a Sunday, what is it you do.".

I'm not for one minute suggesting that the mother hasn't gone awol, and heaven forbid if anything untoward has happened to her. I just find the whole initial childcare arrangement seems abit random &, well, strange. I feel like OP 'might' not be telling entire story. Apologies if I'm wrong.

Id be really worried by now.

I hope the kids are all in bed and you get the chance to call 101.

I don't think my 8 year old could name where DH works - something to do with horses and computers is the best he'd come up with.

Hope you get answers soon OP, do log it with the non emergency police.

I think the school would probably overlook uniforms on this occasion.

Of course they would, but it might make the children feel even more unsettled if they're looking noticeably different from everyone else on top of wondering where their mum is.

My DH works for a bank and his office is open 24/7.

Caught up at work, phone dead etc are not good enough reasons, IMO.

Phone dies you (a) leave work or (b) ask a friend or relative to go to the house. Caught up at work, you say you have children at home and you have to leave and thats the end of the matter.

You dont just not turn up for hours on end when your child is FOUR. Other than a life or death situation I just cant imagine a scenario where that is acceptable.

It's not that strange Major. A schoolmum has picked up my son before and we've talking about our jobs before but hers is local and in a wellknown building so I know where she is based, but I work for small company in a small market town and have a stupidly vague job title, so she probably has no idea where I work! She has my phone number but if she lost that it might get tricky.

Yes, so you've said major

There was a thread very similar to this a couple of years ago Clanger, same scenario exactly.

Turns out the woman was in hospital some hours away, the OP had the children for a couple of days.

When I read this OP I immediately thought of that thread. So I understand why Clanger thought as she did.

It may be that she did break down somewhere and her phone battery died or she forgot to bring her phone with her (dh went to pub this evening and nearly forgot his phone - left on charger with 30% on - initially had 4%!!). She doesn't remember OP's number because it's in the phone. I don't remember anyone's number other than my dh's and my home phone number. So she can't ring.

Having said that, I'd hope to have been towed to a garage and then I would have tried to get in touch with the husband to reach OP to explain. Or logged onto FB to try and get in touch with OP somehow.