to think DD's friend's parents are taking the piss???

[lal123]

DD(5) has a wee friend who lives just down the road from us - they play together all the time, but I don't really know her parents that well.

Anyway - they are playing upstairs and for the umpteenth time her brother has called at the door to say they are going shopping and can she just stay here for half an hour?

I have no contact information for them if I need to get hold of them, they won't let me know when they are back (so I'll send her home at some stage and just tell her to come back if they are not there), we're holding off having our tea til she's gone (can't feed her with us - she needs to take medication with food).

At least this time they've told us they are out - there have been a couple of occassions when she's come back after being sent home saying that no-one's in - can she stay longer?

Is this normal or is it just me??

not normal, and I would not tolerate it, the more you do, the more they will expect

how old are they?

how old is your DD and her friend?

oh just saw....5

not good for 5,quite normal with my dc's friends age 11 plus,they have keys sometimes to let themselves in,and of course,mobiles

How long have the parents been gone now, i think its disgusting!

I think it's ok of them to ask, because you can say no if you want, and explain you're going to have your tea shortly. But it's absolutely not ok to just pop to the shops without telling you. And it's not ok to not leave you with a mobile number.

why didn't you say no then? or ask the questions to them you are asking to us?

if you just smiled and said yes it seems that they think they can take the piss as you don't say anything

just be firm but polite, it is not unreasonble in any way what you want to ask them.

give some people an inch and they will take a mile!

next time send her with her brother

next time I'll take stuffits advice. Difficult though when they send 8/9 year old brother and he's already almost back to the car by the time he's asked the question!

I'll go down and ask her Mum for a mobile number just in case.

They are usually only gone for half an hour or so (never sure though 'cause I can't tell when they are back)?

Not AIBU by stealth - but she also has cystic fibrosis - never been ill while here - but I don't know anything about it or what might happen or what to do if anything did happen.

I'm probably just being oversensitive at the moment - 38 weeks preg so hormones all over the place!

Sorry you stated age 9durr me!)

% is far too young, esp if you don't know family well and there are added health issues.

My youngest is 5- I would say NO

Excuse typos, sorry

you don't need to worry about the fact she has cystic fibrosis. you already know the important bit of enzymes with food and i would say at 5 she knows the consequences of eating without her medication. Which is nothing more than an upset stomach.
So health issues do not and should not affect your decision to let her stay.(as a mother of a child with Cystic Fibrosis Jemin i endevour to make sure his health issues are never a problem to his friends parents. i would be very disappointed if he couldn't play at a friends because of his genetic life limiting condition. would you not let a child with asthma play at your house?)

i would however say 5 is a bit young my 8yr old DS and his friends do this all the time and i have gradually accumulated mobile numbers etc of most of teh families in the street.

raindro- not meant to offend you at all- it is only cos OP stated she didn't really know childs parents at all( ie little communication etc- that is all..

Sorry if it came across that way, just meant at 5 I would not want to look after a child if I didn't know the parents well.

Obviously as they get older- have had kids to stay whose parents I barely know...but not age 5!