to expect other peoples children to have a certain level of table manners?

[SoccerMum]

I have my DDs best friend and her sister here overnight. I picked them up at 1100 this morning, return them tomorrow.

Background - they moved about 75 miles away, DD and other LO were best friends since pre-school..they are now almost 9 and nearly 10.

Ive just done them dinner, basic frozen stuff, chicken wings etc and a salad.

I cant believe what im hearing..a seires of forced burps and farts, constant giggling and shouting, hysterical laughter and screeching.

Ive just gone to clear up after them, the place looks like a bomb went off. Food and drink everywhere, sauce and mayo etc all over the table and a big wet patch on the floor.

Knives and forks smothered in ketchup, plates swimming in a mix of ketchup, mustard, mayo. Glasses covered in sticky mess.

They took one look at my face and shut up!

Thanks for the rant..but AIBU?

The mess is a not on, but the jollity is fine. Lighten up. They are kids having fun.

Sounds like they're showing off - probably a bit overexcited if they haven't seen their mates for a bit? Are they helping you to clear up?

Used to love having fart competitions with my cousins when we met up.
Also we giggled and shouted about your objections to that one.
We also used to do the 'pea olympics' and make a right mess. At my mums house it was 'hurray, all muck in and have fun'.

At my aunts house it was a right bollocking. Guess which house was more fun to be at? Personally, as long as they clean it up after, I would lighten up a bit.

Did they eat alone while you were elsewhere ? Not getting at you, just suggesting that maybe if you were in another room they all felt a bit freer to...relax ?

Yes they ate alone whilst I was putting washing away....they did sound like they were having funbut it was the mess I was more annoyed about, there is no need for that really. Grotbags!

I think providing they were having innocent fun you should relax.
But the little buggers darlings should be made to clean up the mess.

Just overexcited and haviing fun but also old enough to help tidy up their own mess. so a bit U but not much.

9 and 10 yr olds are perfectly capable of clearing the table and wiping it down.

I would expect guests to behave better, as I also expect of my own (even more so in someone elses home!) and not make a mess like that, they are 9 and 10 not 3 and 4

I'd be gutted if I thought mine would behave like that in my own home let alone someone elses!

I should have made them clear up the mess but I sent them off outside to get rid of their excess energy!

Think we will be swimming for 2 hours tomorrow, not one.

YABU
they are having fun and showing off

sounds like over excitement to me
let them have their fun (and i bet your dd was as much to blame as the visiting children!!) and then get them to help clear up

Soccermum - I'm with you and not the other posters on this one. That being said, I know I'm a real stickler for table manners. If my children behaved like that alone at the table - or worse at someone else's house they would be in serious trouble. I've had several times when friends are visiting and been appalled at other kids' table manners. My kids know better, but do try a little showing off - which I will allow, but will not tolerate burping and farting, eating with mouths open, even holding knives and forks in wrong hand or wrong way up. I cannot believe that others allow their children to have such anti-social behaviour and not think it appropriate to correct them.

OK, I am definitely saying is it acceptable on a normal day. And really think they should clean up any mess.
But part of me remembers what it was like to be overexcited and showy off so I have got some sympathy.

After all, you should have seen the mess we left for the next morning this year after a 'civilised' new years dinner party with old friends.

My DD was certainly having fun also, but it wasnt her voice I heard from the end of the garden.

Just because you couldn't hear your dd's voice doesn't mean she wasn't messing around as well. Some children are just loud.

Yes true Cornsilk...the 2 of them have always been a loud pairing, add in one older sister and one older brother I suppose I have a recipe for disaster!