To ask her to leave?

[Washthenetting]

I have a friends DS after school every night for a couple of hours. He is good friends with my DS and I don't mind doing it at all. He's genuinely a pleasure to have (no money changes hands if that's relevant). However when his mum picks up she hangs around for 30+ minutes, every time. It's 6:00 by this point and I really just want to eat my dinner and spend some time with my DS. Am I being unreasonable to want her to just pick him up and go?

Not unreasonable but she might feel like it would be rude to dash off. Find a way to say "can't chat today l, food is ready/early bath/not well a few times in a row.

Make sure you're on your phone when she gets there.

Of course not... use non-verbal or verbal signals - so have him in his coat and at the door before you go to answer it... stand in doorway, have brief chat whilst in doorway, say breezy "see you tomorrow, have a nice evening", or if she's managed to get in and sit down say in a jokey way "I'm going to have to chuck you out now I'm afraid as (insert reason)"

She'll get the message.

Have him ready at the door when she arrives and get him to go out to meet her?

I have the same problem except the parent in my case can sometimes stay for an hour + even though she knows I put my kids to bed at 7. I'll be putting my dinner on the plate in front of her but will still stay. Sorry I don't have any actual advice, I just sympathise.

Always I've put my son to bed multiple times with her here, she's very thick skinned when it comes to hints. I'm going to pluck up the courage to start getting him ready to go when she knocks.

Well if she doesn't get subtle hints. The only thing to do is tell her straight. You're doing her the favour.

Is she a single parent , could she be lonely. Maybe if you could arrange some time together to socialise?

And not a single parent but her DH works away a fair bit so I suspect you could be right . I'll suggest doing something one night.

So who's cooking her dinner whilst she is yacking at yours?

She probably just wants some company especially as her DH works away and she's probably a little bit lonely.