They've gone home, hurray!!! (OP's kids of course)

[sunnydelight]

I'm sitting here in a lovely quiet house with a large glass of wine feeling like I've just done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson! DS2 had two friends for tea which is a regular arrangement that fits in with an activity they all do. I know I should be grateful that it means I have to do less chasing around, but I'm starting to find it so stressful I'm wondering is it worth it. One of the boys in particular is an absolute nightmare - I seemed to have spent the whole time today telling him to stop jumping on my sofas, stop trying to climb up the curtains etc. The first hour is never too bad, but after that he just seems to lose the plot. The other boy is normally fine, but decided to pick on my son all afternoon - every game my son suggested was "stupid" - you know the kind of thing! DS2 was verging on tears most of the afternoon, then to add insult to injury at dinner time the nightmare one picked every bit of onion out of his shepherd's pie and flicked them on the floor!!!! Just a rant really, but hell is .......

tell them off! make ti clear that in your house your rules go... that means NO jumping on sofas etc etc. If they do it they will be punished.

and as for flicking food on the floor! i'd have taken it away and let him go hungry!

I hope you told the parents how they behaved

Ironically the mum of the nightmare one is a good friend of mine but I don't feel able to say anything without risking our friendship. I know she would be mortified and I think she would say that it would be better if he didn't come which would make me happy short-term but it would be extremely difficult long-term (we both have other children who are friends). The last time he came and misbehaved I told him that he would be sent home if he didn't toe the line. This worked briefly but five minutes later he was off again.

I once read this on a thread - can't remember who posted it though:

Children are like farts - you can just about cope with your own but other peoples are unbearable

Makes me smile when things are not going well with my DPs dd....

sd tell her! I am sure she would much rather know and i expect a good talking to from her may make him toe the line.

I used to work as a mother's help and no matter how awful they were when I had them alone i'd always smile and say yes, they were fine!

One evening they played me up something rotten and I got so angry that I told the mum exactly how they had behaved... she was mortified and very apologetic. The children were all punished... and realised that I meant what I said and behaved much better from then on!

Imagine if it was the other way round... you'd want to be told wouldn't you?

I would go the way of "oh i'm sure it's just the atmosphere... when boys get together and all that... but they have been a handful today" etc etc

Sounds dead-on NotActually... Starlover, I have decided that next time I have him I will say something along the lines you suggest. Every mother knows "he's been a bit of a handfull" really means "he's been a complete little s**t" so it might be a good way of letting her know what's going on and still staying friends.

haveing three kids to play is awasy a mistake imo unless tow of htema re siblings

Not something I would normally do cod - if I wasn't afraid my kids would end up as billy no mates (just how do you pluralise that one??) personally I would never, ever, have any children in my house that weren't my own. The return visit just isn't enough to justify the hassle.

ps whats an op

other peoples.. I am guessing...

Yes, it is other people's. OP kids is a bit of a derogatory term in our house