Hi Mumsnet. Need some input or perspective here.
This weekend I promised my DC's (DS12 and DD6) that this weekend would be just for us. Normally they go to their Dad's house from Friday evening until they come home from School Monday afternoon but he and his partner are both unwell, they also have a newborn baby (three weeks) So the kiddos are stuck with Mum.
We have an outing planned tomorrow, we're going to a Museum quite a stretch away from us but my children absolutely love it. It's been around a while, I can remember going to this Museum when I was a child with school and interacting with all the exhibits. I asked if DC's wanted to bring friends but they said No. I respected that and told Ex-husband of plans. He said he'd pay since technically he's meant to have the kids this weekend.
Ex SIL found out and came up with the idea that she could invite herself and two of her Mum friends and their children from her daughter's school. To me it just screams "playdate" and I know I'll have to keep a whole gaggle of children happy, safe and fed. I don't want to do that to my kids, I have vivid memories of my parents planning trips for me then letting other kids come along at the last minute or when we'd already made the plans. They have lots of friends both where I live and where their Dad lives twenty minutes away from us. They have plenty of days out and friends regularly come around for tea to mine and to their Dad's. My kids love to socialise. They are not short on interaction with children their ages
I told Ex-Sil I don't want to host a playdate, I want to make the most of my weekend with my children because next weekend they'll be having the time of their lives with their Dad. She's calling me all sorts of names and trying to get Ex-Husband involved. He's told her he's staying out of it and he's not paying eight children and four adults to look around a Museum. I know she won't pay herself and she'll guilt me about this for ages
AIBU to say "No. I'm making sure my kids have a nice weekend" I'm starting to feel like I am.