Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To feel a bit miffed at friends?

83 replies

Aliumlavender · 08/07/2018 10:43

We are on holiday with some friends, staying in a house in the south of England.

We each have two kids aged 4 and under - we both have a 4 year old and a 2/3 year old.

The 4 year olds are starting school in September, so this is our last holiday that we're getting to do outside of school holiday prices!

The house is quite big - it has three floors. Our friends arrived first and took the bedroom on the ground floor, while we have a bedroom on the second floor. Also on the second floor are the two kids' rooms. The four year olds are sharing and the two & three year old are sharing.

The issue is that our friends so far have slept in till about 11 each day, while we are having to get up at 6/7 when the kids wake up. We are then having to entertain 4 small excited children rather than the usual two until about half twelve, as when our friends do get up they have a very long, leisurely breakfast.

We've got another week here with them. They're such good friends and we love spending time with them (when they're awake...) so we don't want to hurt their feelings. Does anyone have any ideas of how we could raise this tactfully (given that we have to live with them for another week)?

OP posts:

QueenOfCatan · 08/07/2018 11:17

Why haven't you sent their kids to wake them up?! You should have done it the first morning.

AnastasiaVonBeaverhausen · 08/07/2018 11:18

Tell the kids to go into their room in the morning. And say to them "hope you've enjoyed the lie ins, your turn from tomorrow, we're moving to the top floor!"

TheAntiBoop · 08/07/2018 11:19

You say you don't want to hurt their feelings but they are clearly hurting yours?

Send the kids in to them every morning - I can't believe you've let it go on for a week! I bet you've been trying to keep the kids quiet too!!

OzMumofBoys · 08/07/2018 11:20

Send them down

MadMags · 08/07/2018 11:22

You’ve chosen to do this. You could just send the dc into their parents when they wake.

Zucker · 08/07/2018 11:24

Walk their kids to their bedroom door. Take your own 2 out for a lovely early walk before breakfast. Chances are doing this once will show you the other couples true intentions.

I wonder though if their own 2 kids are left to their own devices normally at their own home. Maybe this is normal for them!

Cutietips · 08/07/2018 11:24

They did this deliberately. Your turn to have the ground floor room for the second week. How could they really look you in the eye and say it’s fair that you do all early starts for two weeks. If they do point blank refuse, send all four children to the ground floor, every single day.

GrumpyBagFace · 08/07/2018 11:25

Are you on holiday with my sister & BIL?? They do this and we end up with 4 kids under 4 to look after!

Send the kids into find their parents and make lots of noise!

StepBackNow · 08/07/2018 11:25

They may think you don't mind, You need to tell them that you do.

MerlinsScarf · 08/07/2018 11:25

Would you like the lie-in? In that case, swapping rooms might be the way to go. We don't mind getting up early but would appreciate the free time later, so I'd be in favour of making a quick (child-free) exit to the nearest coffee shop as soon as they came down to breakfast.

SockMatchmaker · 08/07/2018 11:25

I’m so confused why you’ve been looking after all four kids?! Your ‘friends’ are dicks.

WineAndTiramisu · 08/07/2018 11:27

Definitely tell them that you're swapping bedrooms for the next week, and they are looking after the kids until midday every day.

If they refuse, just send all the kids to their room every morning and stay in bed

Hawkie · 08/07/2018 11:27

Is your child the youngest or their child the youngest? I suspect it is yours, and that their children who could well be almost four and almost five are actually left on their own in the mornings at home, or lie in usually but are being woken by yours?

I think that in that case it's a bit unreasonable to ask to swap rooms - perhaps find this out first.

GloGirl · 08/07/2018 11:27

I can sort of understand being totally exhausted and selfish taking the luxury of not having to be WIDE AWAKE instantly the moment the kids come into your room and need everything RIGHT NOW.

So I can understand why your friends might enjoy secretly the luxury of waking up slowly in 30 minutes, pottering round to brush their teeth in peace before coming to see you and the 4 kids.... but till 11am every day!!

They're making do a morning of childcare, for 4 children, for free and they're sleeping.

I'd be giving them the Paddington Bear stare and telling them it's your lie in tomorrow. Or I would buy whistle and drums for tomorrow's dawn chorus.

EveningHare · 08/07/2018 11:27

why wouldnt you send their children to them after day 1?

Hawkie · 08/07/2018 11:28

It's weird their children don't automatically go to them, which is why I think this may be the normal situation at home.

ApolloandDaphne · 08/07/2018 11:29

After the first day i would have sent them in to their parents. Have they not said anything to you about this? Cheeky fuckers is what they are.

Emily7708 · 08/07/2018 11:29

Sounds like a strange holiday with young kids. What do you do with your days if they aren’t finishing breakfast until midday? Surely you all need to be up and ready by at least 9am to make the most of the day and get out and about?

spiderplantsalad · 08/07/2018 11:32

I thought all the children were OP's and she just didn't want to hang about waiting? If so, don't. take them out and do something, text your friends when they're up about meeting up, or just go and do your own thing and see them for dinner. no need to sit in all day - unless I've misread of course.

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 08/07/2018 11:32

I’d send their kids up to wake them. If they ignored them I’d bang on their door saying you’re kids are awake and want feeding. If you’re not happy to do that then get a afternoon nap in. I’d say can you guys watch the children as we’ve been up with all of them early all week.

daytripper28 · 08/07/2018 11:32

Just tell them

hth

spiderplantsalad · 08/07/2018 11:33

No, I did misread. Swap rooms and if the kids come to you, send them all back off to the friends.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 08/07/2018 11:34

Or say "right lads, you guys have had a lie in all week while we did kids club so I think it only fair we change rooms for the second we were and you take your turn"

Yes say this. Don't let them take the piss, good friends or not.

Branleuse · 08/07/2018 11:35

you dont have to accept stuff like this. You really dont. Stop being mugs

happypoobum · 08/07/2018 11:37

I am confused. What's on the first floor? Are there any bedrooms there you could use or put the kids in?

Anyway, either swap rooms or tell the kids to go to the downstairs and wake the other adults up as it's their turn to do morning duty.

Or do what mydogishot suggested

Flip

1 2 3 4