There is a friend i know from school and we have children of the same age, 9 and 11. We often arrange for the children to spend time at each others houses so they can play.
One of us will generally phone the other and ask if they want to send the kids down for a couple of hours, we live at opposite ends of the same very long street, I'm talking about 200 house between us. So quite a way but we let the kids walk down on their own.
I was planning on having a relaxing afternoon today but at 12 her DC just turned up at my house, no prior warning. DD let them in as I was in the shower. By the time I came down and realised they were here the girls were on the computer and the boys were playing football in the garden.
They hadn't eaten so have had to feed them when making lunch for us.
I'm just think its really taking the piss to send your kids to play in somebody elses house without asking first. Its not like they live across the road and can nip home for toilet, drinks etc. It means that I have now been basically lumbered with her kids for the afternoon.
If she had asked I wouldn't have minded so much but I just hate been taken for granted!!