My 6 yr old completely trashes her room when she has a friend round...

[CreepyJess]

She doesn't do it on her own... and they don't do it in her friend's room.. but ye Gods, when they have been in DD's room together, its as if someone has turned the room upside down and shake it!! There's not a spare inch of carpet to be seen.. and things get trampled and broken....!!

Her room is small.. and although everything has its place, she does have a lot of stuff in it.. but she just seem to go mental when she has her friend round.. things get drawn on etc.. I have spoken at length about taking one or two toys out at a time, playing with them and putting them away again.. but this advice seems to go to the dogs - I think she just forgets!
I have now (probably temporarily) confiscated her pens, which is a shame because she like to spend time alone in her room drawing and making things quietly; she is quite creative.

I make them tidy the room together.. but inevitably, this is never done 'properly' so I have to go behind them and do it. Her friend is the child of a close family friend and a lovely little girl.. and is probably less to blame for the mess than DD.. so it's not her influence as such I'm sure.

Do others have this problem? Where am I going wrong? DS1 was never this bad...

CJ x

I'd be tempted to tell her she's not allowed to play in her room unless she keeps it tidy.

But I have an 18mo DS, who enjoys nothing more than standing in front of the toy cupboard, pondering what to play with, then deciding "everything" and proceeding to empty it onto the floor!

Yes it sounds obvious doesn't it.. it's just that (I will admit it!) and I do like them to go off and play in her room sometimes.. that gets rid of a couple of them at least (!) for a while.. as we have a very small house and when our friend's are round, that's 5 kids here altogether.. with one of them being our Alex.. with all the terrible calamity that he causes .. and who of course cannot be sent off to play..

I just wish she would not trash the joint! I suppose it's probably just a 'being six' thing..

I think it is just a "being six" thing, Jess - my six year old dd2 is like this. Despite loads of warnings, tellings off and hours spent tidying up afterwards, she still does it (and when dd1 plays with her, and on her own too!). I have come to the conclusion that she is just a naturally untidy child who simply doesn't see the mess, and she gets overexcited easily too. She has a fairly big room, and a place for everything, but is quickly overwhelmed if there are more than a couple of things out so I have to help her tidy (which I find really irritating as dd1 did this by herself at age 5)

Repeat to self....it's just a phase....it's just a phase...it's just a phase.....

My DS friends used to do this when they came at first. Its not so bad now, not sure if the novelty of playing in his room has worn off and they know what hes got or because i made them tidy it every time.