Anyone else feel the need to have the house like a showroom because a child is coming for tea!?

[felttippens]

Ds has two mates over later and I feel a pressure for the house to be perfect as poss for fear of judging - do kids (9yo) judge??

No! I think your house would have to be seriously dirty for a 9 year old to notice!

It isn't seriously dirty at all - it's just not looking its v best I'm more interested in why I feel judged by small children ! Can't seem to help it

I always go mad cleaning when the dcs have friends over -incase they tell their mums

And I even had one telling me how untidy my house was mid cooking for the ungrateful brat

I bet your house is lovely. I think if they judged anything it would be getting to play with toys they didn't have at home!

Yes. Although it's for the parents, not the kids. It drives DH mad - he thinks it's completely Stepford Wife/Hyacinth Bouquet I still do it though

I wouldn't clean BEFORE kids come over, there's enough to do once they've gone home!
Oh, and if they judged, they wouldn't be invited back again one strike and you're out is my rule

I clean and tidy for all guests of all ages.

Yes I do this! Somehow it just feels nicer to have a tidy house for visitors. It makes you feel more calm and prepared, knowing that the house is clean and tidy. Dd1 is 6 yrs old and loves having a tidy bedroom, but I doubt she'd notice if someone had an untidy house (unless it was really filthy I guess!).

Yep! My DDs have come home from a particular friend's saying how disgusting and untidy it was and they would never want to eat round there! So they do notice!! I clean and tidy for any guests, don't mind how much mess they make whilst at my house though, as long as it's nice to start with, then I clean and tidy when they go home (I'm mad though!)