Basically I work four days a week, just getting home before I need to leave to pick my dc's up from school. My two are very sociable + I appreciate that they love to see their friends after school, so they're always allowed a friend back each once or twice a week + they each do an after school club (but not on the same day)!
The few afternoons a week we haven't got plans for, I must admit I relish. I can take them home, get homework out of the way early, play with them a bit + try to have dinner eaten + cleared up fairly early so I can also get some things done.
We often walk home with two other families as we all go the same way, but I'm finding their children pester almost every evening, "Can we go to ONTHEPIER'S house?", or "Can they come back to ours/come to the park etc with us?" My children look very eager + then pester, the other mum just says, "Let's see, it's up to ONTHEPIER". I nearly always end up feeling pressured into saying yes, recently I said no, saying we had things to do + all four children, (mine + the other mum's), were in tears!!
My dc's know I work, + know not to pester to do things after school unless it's been pre-arranged, but these mums don't work + seem to say yes to their dc's every single afternoon if they want friends over or want to visit somebody.
The thing is they come to my house + the place by 6 pm looks like a bomb's hit it, toys out everywhere! My youngest still doesn't like visiting people's houses without me being there, so whichever way we do it I'm finding almost every afternoon between 3.30 + 6/6.30 is taken up which I could really do without!
I find the mums look quizzically at me if I say I'm busy, + then make suggestions, "We could always give you half an hour + then pop over", or "If you've got things to do why don't I take your dc's back to mine, then you come in an hour or so for coffee?"
Does anybody else find it hard to make clear that once in a while you'd like the remainder of the afternoon/evening just by yourselves?!