How do I stop my house becoming the local youth club ? Looked round earlier and there were eight boys here....not including my own !!

[LaidbackinEngland]

I am un fortunate to have a popular 11 year old DS1. Our Easter holidays started on Friday and since then our house has been awash with Boy !

Our house is in a central location not far from the skate park, but it seems to have evolved into a meeting and eating joint. I am happy for them all to be here some of the time... but they are eating me out of house and home and they rarely seem to invite DS1 to their house to return the favour !

Any ideas for strategies/rules to lay down to keep the visits a bit more under control that won't come across as me being a crotchety old witch ?

Am I destined to to be tripping over trainers for two weeks ?

Hmmm, you do seem laidback, laidbackinEngland.

Your house, your rules. If you don't want them in, then tell them to do one.

I am assuming however that you are happy for your DS to go off to other places.

When my DD was too young to go off and play, then my house was a bit like yours but only because she would have been left on her own if I didn't let them in to play sometimes. I sent them home at mealtimes though!

LOL - at least you know where your kids are and who they are with

Good point Iota... getmeouttahere - yes - I must reclaim my house !!

You've got to start dressing like Professor whatshername on HP (Emma Thompson) and wandering around in a very floaty, revealing thing and beads, saying 'heyyyyy boys. Glad to see you're having a good time' in a hippy drawl.
'Now who's got some hashish? Far out'

That'll have them running.

that's my house in the summer. i've been known to lock the back door just to get peace!! i tell them that i don't mind them coming in to use the toilet etc but i absolutely draw the line at feeding them. had to implement zero tolerance re feeding cos it was getting too expensive. i told all the parents that i wasn't going to be feeding them and if they wanted them to hang around they would have to provide them with money to get stuff. i did provide drinks but only diluting cos DS isn't allowed fizzy drinks. if they didn't like it tough. also had to steel my heart and kick them out at dinner time altough there's something about the kicked dog look that they give you....

I think that the more attractive your gaff is ie. on tap drinks, goodies, warm welcome etc then your reputation as a fab place to hang out will rise.

I suspect that the other parents adopt weirdo behaviour as detailed above LOL or develop a low threshold for invasion.

I refuse to change my behaviour too if there are kids around. If I feel like slobbin out in my dressing gown. after a shower at 5pm then so be it

Yes... the ideas are coming. Next time they are round I will wear flowing gowns, start howling and serving up strange combinations of food......

pmsl

OOhhh this could be so much fun....