Babysitting nightmare

[fish]

I've just had a vile evening with four little darlings belonging to a friend. They've been bullying the baby, slamming doors, turning all the bathroom taps on, galloping round the house, scaling the stairs (wrong side of banisters), kicking, screaming, hitting (me) and called me an interesting variety of filthy names considering their age (all between 3 and 6).
I was tried to stay kind but firm, carried up and threw the big one back into his room at least six times, replaced mattresses and all bedding on three out of four beds at least 4 times, selectively ignored a great deal of monkey business, left them to kill each other as much as possible and frightened the older two with a roar like Godzilla on their last attempt to get downstairs (10ish). They were finally all asleep at 11pm and I got home about 1am.
I felt rotten telling their parents how naughty they'd been, should I have lied?
Maybe I should have just ignored their parents instructions and played fun and games with them from the minute Mum and Dad left the house?
What on earth do other people do? I feel like a horrible old cow. Any comforting tales?

Start as you mean to go on. Go in like Godzilla the minute they play up, and then be nice the minute they stop. I remember babysitting my little sister's friends for the first time - and quickly realised they were going to use the connection to their advantage. I immediately lost it with them and which point they gave up and got in to bed. I stood outside the door listening - only to hear them say "she's not as easy as we thought she'd be is she?" It was very difficult not to crack up laughing - especially as they were only 4 and 6!

fish, do you mean you did tell their parents? If so, yes, you did exactly the right thing, you are not a horrible old cow and I admire you enormously. I have babysat friends' children before (not recently, thankfully) and had very difficult times but at the end just mealymouthed out of the house and found excuses never to go back!

Fish I think you did the right thing too. It will be hard for those parents to find a babysitter if that's the way their children act while they're gone - so they need to be told. Hopefully they will sit down with their children and warn them about the consequences if they behave like that again in the future. I know it's hard because they are your friend's children, but I still think they need to know exactly what happened.

Fish, it was very kind of you to babysit in the first place and you were right to tell the parents they'd been a nightmare. You are not a horrible old cow; I'd have come on like Godzilla too especially at 10pm! NO WAY should you have played fun and games with them once the parents went out: it was bedtime. Sounds like they were trying it on, big time. Next time (if there is a next time) read the riot act before they go to bed, when you get there and take NO PRISONERS!

Fish, If anyone else looks after my children I always ask if they have behaved and I want to know the truth. I would be horrified if my lot had been as naughty as the ones you looked after and they would be severely punished for it (one way or another). It is very important to me that my kids are good for other people who do us a favour no matter how badly behaved they are for me. I think it is natural for children to test the water and see if they can get a later bedtime or a few treats out of a visitor but not to such an extent. I hope you were well rewarded for the stress of it all, you deserve some chocs and a bottle of wine at the very least.

sonbernow - didn't you want to clock them (both kids and parents?)

Fish - I'd have definitely told. I'd probably not return - even if you did change your style, they've probably marked your card now & ive you a really hard time (sorry, I mean even harder). I haven't had a bad experience like tha, but it's one I dread, so I do really sympathise.

Thankyou everyone so much, I didn't dare hope anyone would have replied yet. I am still wobbling about it all, dh says I'm daft.
And yes, my palms itched like bloody fury. M&D said the kids had never been as bad as that before. But how do they know???
I think my first respondent has got it right, I should never have looked like a patsy to start with - shouldn't have agreed to do a smiley-hallo-in-bed before Mummy goes out.
It's tough when they know you as a nice lady (sob!). Cheers, I'm getting my chin up.

Just mulling it over in a less PMT state. Janh -I've every sympathy, I was deeply tempted to shut up but decided that would have meant they really were in control, and I couldn't stand it.
I've been fantasising about Dr Chris Green's famous Rope-trick (see book "Toddler Taming". If I am asked again I will take a big breath and ask them to separate Good Sleeper & Smallest from Terrible Two and make it poss to keep bed doors shut as in Dr G. Divide and rule.
Hopefully they'll think I'm such a nutter that I can't be let loose near their babies any more. Love to all.