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?

Exactly angel. If you work in an office you also have access to a phone, email and itight just be my office but there's usually a charger about somewhere too.

That's what I was thinking leopard gecko. If her husband is away then OP is quite likely the only person who knows she's currently awol.

DrRanjs An hour watching a thread feels like ages, sure. However, when you're dealing with distressed children, coordinating a friend to visit the house and generally getting a plan together it isn't that much time at all. As I mentioned earlier, that call could well take a significant amount of time going through details and answering questions and doing that while any of the kids are up is not necessarily an option. One thing at a time seems like a very good approach and people harking on at the OP for not doing what they think is best now is so far from helpful.

my SIL works 9-5 monday to friday, but is a IT manager and its not unusual for her to be called in at weekends to deal with things, and she has worked this late before, so that isn't a reason to raise doubts over the Mum being at work on a sunday!

Major, trollhunting is forbidden so just report if you're dubious. If you're wrong, the OP is having a rough day and doesn't need your doubt.

I think I'd have put all the children to bed and let her wake hers up later.

You'd think of someone. They must have a mutual friend. Or she could call her dh. Or her mother. Or get radio 2 to read out sn announcement. No one thinks, I'm two hours + late and my phones died so u can't let her know but hey ill just finish this report...

Poor wee things, and poor OP.

Thinking about it I don't think any of my friends who might look after my DC could find my office on a map, or remember what my employers' firm is called this week. And that includes my brother.

My 2 (7 and 10) would probably be able to name the company I work for but not where it is. Another one who's worked on a Sunday in an office (for year end and tax deadlines).

Really hope she's OK and contacts you soon. Don't think you've got much of a choice - call 101.

Hope everything is ok and the mum has turned up op.

Sorry - I'm just thinking of the mother and how she may need urgent help.

What a worry, I hope it's all been resolved by now.

Surely she can look on Facebook and see a family member? Sister , aunty, even a best friend ?

What leopardgecko said. Hopefully, she is being cheeky, but she may be injured/ill. If she is, and was at the hospital, they'd have answered the persistent phone calls, or contacted the father who would have contacted you (assuming he knows where they are).

So if she is ill, the fact it's been 4 maybe 5 hours since she should have left work and you've not been contacted probably means nobody knows she is ill/injured. That's a long time to go without medical attention.

Hopefully she's just taking you for a mug.

Hopefully everything is ok and you are having a drink listening to the whole story while the DCs sleep.

As for people who say this is odd, it really isn't. My kids' friends (all 8+) have only a very vague idea where the parents work ("a hospital" "an office" "the bus company"). They talked about this recently. And nowadays the parents of Josh Newman are often not called "Mrs and Mr Newman" and I usually know parents by first name only. Calling a random hospital (hoping Josh has the foggiest which one) might not produce his mum.

You are handling this well OP, hope she is ok.

Oh this thread makes my heart ache, I hope their mum is ok. Sending good thoughts out there.

I hope everything is OK OP

I just think, if my four year old was with someone else, and I was hours and hours later than expected because my phone had died or whatever, stuck in meetings etc, I would be absolutely stressed out of my nut worrying about my child being upset, to the point I would be doing everything in my power to make contact.

I also wouldnt leave my kids somewhere without the person minding them having my work location, mobile number, my desk phone number and my husbands number in case of emergency.

I would call 101. What a nightmare for you though.

The OP hasn't posted for a long time (I think, unless I've missed something). I hope that's a good sign, that the mother's turned up safe and well.

Major This scenario is very possible in my area. I work admin/IT and Sunday overtime has been worked in the past.

And there was a thread last year where a similar thing happened and it turned out the mum had been rushed to hospital.

In fairness to the OP, she did say in her first post that the arrangement is usually with the dad so I'm not finding it especially weird she doesn't know much about the mum's place of work. I'm sure I don't know the ins and outs of all the school parents work details where my DCs are.

I agree at this point that your only option is the police really. This is far too late for someone to just be stuck in traffic or running late, or even having forgotten temporarily.