To lock my kids bedrooms when relatives decend

[partypoop]

I just cant be dealing with the mess and maybe damage that will be created. How many kids do you allow to go into your kids rooms? I will feel really bad in front of the parents when I have to say an explanation to the questioning children but what do you do?

Your house, your rules, doesn;t matter what other people do,

as i say, if she asks i don't like to say no but she has some very special stuff in her room like dolls house her grandmother made etc and some very heavy-handed little friends!! (speaking from experience)

I always used to do that! I used to ask visiting child to pick one toy they'd like to bring downstairs. I have a 'family room' downstairs that's always full of toys & games - didn't want all the bedrooms trashed as well1

milli, well a dartboard along with laptops and guitars (plural?) is really just a question of time

DS is careful with his Darts (his room is 20' long) but this child was visiting with his parents who are our friends (he is younger than DS) and he just wanders off.

DS room is downstairs which is awkward, but at 12 he should be allowed his own space with a bit of protection. If he lets his friends in (frequently does) and they make a mess, that is his problem. Younger relatives and kids of our friends are our problem.

YANBU, upstairs is out of boundsunless it is just 1 special friend. They can play downstairs where we can see them.

How old are your children?

We don't actually have any toys downstairs, and apart from art/creative activities we encourage children to go upstairs at every opportunity!

My boys are 8 and 10 and they know they are responsible for keeping their bedroom and the playroom tidy; so if they let their mates wreck it they will be tidying up the next day. So they are pretty good at making sure their friends only get a few things out at once, and then put them away again!

Sometimes it gets into a huge mess, but it's not the end of the world.

If we have a big crowd round I usually have a 'little talk' with the visiting children about not getting everything out and keeping things tidy.