Not to feed/water kids outside my house?

[tigercub50]

Kind of following on from DD having friends round but in this case, I mean when she is just playing out but one or two particular friends are outside our house. DD will ask for a drink/ice cream/ biscuit etc & I feel awkward only giving it to her but once you go down the road of feeding everyone it can become expected I guess. I felt mean with drinks as it's a hot day - DD was trying to convince me that her friend's Mum wouldn't let her have a drink at home! What do you all do?

Oh blimey I don't mean water! And I should have said there can sometimes be up to a dozen kids at once but obviously you would draw the line there. Do object to being called rude Genghi! And I'm certainly not miserly either! Was just interested what others do really. I love kids but you can set yourself up for a lot of work if you're not careful 🙂

I feed and water whoever is in the house , can't possibly imagine it any other way. Not meals, but drinks and snacks, of course.

Seems a bit mean. I'd give a glass of squash and a biscuit for all. It's hardly going to break the bank.

Also meant when they are just outside rather than officially playing at ours. Obviously if DD has her friends round then I feed them!

DD never had that many people round tiger. It was always one or two.

still of the kids are old enough to play out why would you be getting up and down to make cups of squash? Your kids serve their own friends, with your permission, you don't wait in them.

So you're happy to let other peoples 7 year olds wander into your house with your child as tour guide, whilst you presumably sit somewhere not observing or interacting? I know we all have different parenting standards, but I don't want other peoples offspring opening my cupboards, draws, fridge, freezer, taps running, loo not flushed towels crumpled (forget that bit, other people kids never wash their hands and use soap), nosing about upstairs ad infinitum, light fingers, things missing. Been there. Done that. Starred in the video.

The dozen would be in the street not in the house. DD usually has 1 or maybe 2 friends in for playdates

Bonkers you forgot 'AIBU not to want DC consuming loads of biscuits and rubbishy squash full of sweeteners at other houses'.

Squash and value biscuits or ice pops? Yeah those are no trouble unless you're on a really tight budget.

If the parents don't want their children eating value biscuits they can tell them not to ask/accept.

I throw ice pops and drinks around on a regular basis. A lot do round here. Also, any random child in my house at meal times gets fed, but that is usually only one or two and not all the time. A quick text to the mum asking if it ok though.

Not biscuits, crisps to the whole street though, we are skint and have to thinks about making stuff like that last.

If mine have been playing out and come back for somethibg with other kids in tow then juice and a biscuit is fine.

If they have friwnds round and they are playing in the house then they get what mine are having.

I don't remember ever getting a snack or drink at other people's houses tho if we were 'playing out' nor the same at mine. we would usually go home to use the toilet or get food/drink. Don't remember ever really being thirsty tho anyway.

Mabey leave a jug of squash/water out and some plastic cups and let them get on with it, nothing else or they will start expecting food.

Actually DS is diabetic and couldn't have snacks at other people's unless it was carb counted so there is that, you don't kniw kids medical or dietary needs buy if they are playing out I assume they are old enough yo kniw what they are allowed and refuse anything inappropriate.

I feed and water them too doesn't cost a fortune squash biscuits, cheap ice lolly's and they are happy. I'd rather have my two hydrated than not to be honest.

We've never had playdates, I think we live in a different world, we have the kids just gravitating together, playing outside, ending up in the house or garden - jug of squash, pack of biccies on the side,

(playdates sound like formal invitations... rather than something that just happens organically)

Drinks/snacks all the time when the kids were little and had friends here or were playing near the house. Other parents did the same. Unless pre-arranged with parents, we didn't give them meals (usually we just rang them to check.)

We pretty much have the same policy now of "help yourself". Even now DS's friends will just come in with him and get a drink out of the fridge. I think it's quite sweet really that they feel comfortable enough to do that here.

I'd give a bottle of cold water to each of them but nothing else because I wouldn't appreciate somebody giving my kids juice and biscuits etc that I wouldn't let my kids at home have, I don't want my kids pumped full of sugar and other nasties and with allergies I wouldn't risk it but a bottle of water for them isn't going to do any harmor damage.

My mum used to buy a bucket load of cheap ice lollies for when kids were playing. It was really nice for us when she handed them out to everyone.

My mum was a waif collector though - made costumes for them for assemblies, fed them if they were around at mealtimes etc. I think she felt a bit neglected as a child and liked to make our friends feel looked after.

I get that if you give to one you end up giving to everyone so if that's not your thing then maybe just stick to water and tell them that you don't want to be feeding the entire street. A glass of water is no problem, surely?

I'm that one mother who feeds the street and loves it but I get that it's not for everyone. I want my DC and their friends to feel welcome here (we have rules about which rooms) and know that as long as I know their parents they can help themselves to the biscuit jar and a glass of cold water from the fridge. My eldest DC is in his teens now and him and his friends tend to gravitate toward our house and garden as they feel respected and at ease here. I'm happy with that.

Can many of you not read? She's not saying kids playing in the house, or been invited over to play with her kids. It's kids playing in the street altogether, who presumably live in the street and can go home for food/ drinks

ilovepixie
Round here when the kids play in the street or the park at the end of the road they eventually end up in a garden.

I know, you can get cheap biscuits from the £ shop or icelollies. Where I am, Co op do 6 ice creams for £1 or 8 for £1 very cheap. I would not it all the time, once the lollies are gone they are gone. But a jug of water with ice cubes in, and some plastic cups

Years ago my mother used to have a little boy playing there all the time with my brother, not only did he get fed regularly as he was neglected, she used to stick him in the bath (he was always grubby) 😂

Rather miserly.
As a fellow mom (and one who fed and hydrated the lot for decades) I would think less of you and discourage the children's friendship.