Kids friends over in small house

[NosyNeighbour22]

how do people cope with their kids having friends over in a small house? I find it really stressful and difficult as my house is tiny and my dds share a room. Both my dds have really suffered socially from not being able to have play dates, partially this is because I suffer from social anxiety and I find having anyone in my house extremely stressful, although kids aren’t too bad themselves I dread their parents coming to pick them up as my house is rented and isn’t very nice in general.

When they do have friends over they have nowhere to play, the house is tiny and the bedroom is small and shared so it’s difficult for them to play, they seem to run out of things to do very quickly and get bored. I tend to let them invite their friends for days out and then I can pick them up and drop them off again and we don’t have to have them at home, but it’s not really the same for them.

I am thinking about just getting a sofa bed for the living room and moving out of my bedroom so they can have their own rooms at least then they could have friends over. I would like to know how others in a similar situation cope!
I guess the Aibu is Aibu to not be able to cope with my kids having friends over.

Do they get invites to others' houses? Can you try and organise things so as soon as DD1 gets an invite somewhere else, DD2 invites a friend for that day?

Or perhaps the one who hasn't got a friend round gets to help you cook, or watch a DVD downstairs, so that the other can have the bedroom to themselves and their friend for a bit.

Work with the kids to come up with a list of ideas for things to do when friends come over. If things are out of sight because of the shortage of space, it may help to have a list of the games in the cupboard.

If they get any craft kits for Christmas that would work for making with a friend, perhaps save them up for the play dates.

If longer playdates are hard, keep them shorter if you can. If you'll be stuck with them from end of school until parents pick them up after work, then shorten the time at home by going to the park on the way home.

This is what we have done in our house. We have 3 children in a medium sized 3 bed house. All need their own room, so my and DH sleep downstairs. It works perfectly and we are all v happy x

Kids don’t care about the size of a house, they really don’t. If they are bored irs not becsude of the size of your house, don’t worry,