How do you handle other peoples children in your home.

[bigknickersbigknockers]

DS (almost 7yrs) has just started to play out on our street and has now got quite a few new friends. They call for him and off they go out to play and then 10 minutes later they land back wanting to play inside. This wouldnt bother me on rainy days but on sunny days I really do believe they should be outside playing.
My problem is they rampage through the house and when I say its time to go as we are going to have our tea I seem to get:
can we wait in the garden?
I've had my tea I dont have to go home yet.
I find it hard to be assertive with these children and I really dont know why because I am assertive with adults.
Any tips/help on how to feel like I am in charge in my own house insted of these children that I hardly know. TIA

Well done you, wish I was like that!!

With rubber gloves and tongs usually

I don't mind some of my DDs friends coming in, but if I know they are hard work (too noisy, too messy, too nosey or just downright bloody irritating then I just say no). I feel a bit sorry for our new neighbours at the moment because they seem to let all the kids in to play and they are definitely being taken advantage of. I have heard the Mum pleadingly saying things like "Do you think you should be going to play outside your own house now etc". This is always being said to the two little girls who I never allow in our house.

Harleyd - why don't you let other people's children in your house?

bkbk

do you feel like you want to be seen as a 'fun mummy' and you want to welcome kids in your house? i did once til i had a word with myself - children dont want you to be their pal and they dont really mind i fyou are strict, cos you are not their mother

there is a girl next door who comes round to play with my dd1 - i let he come round but only to play in the garden because i know she would take full advantage of me if i let her run riot through the house

the one time i let her play upstairs she sat on the top bunk and refused to come down

just to repeat - children dont mind if you are strict with them. its good to have boundaries

But... on a serious not