Ginevra Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 they keep BUGGING me. "Can I have a drink? I don't like water. What's that stuff in the pitcher? Can I have some of that? Almost gone? Well, can I have the rest of it? Can you make some more?" Oh, I can practically *hear* it! I feel the same way, but it's pretty much just for the boys. I don't have any issue with my dd's buddies. The girls have always been great about just squirreling off to the playroom and talk about the boys they like or whatever it is they talk about. But boys over - that is a whole different ballgame. There's one other family with 3 boys and I don't mind them over because they will just play SuperSmash Brothers until it comes out their ears, but most of the time, boys over is just a FAIL! They are everywhere! They all want to jump on the trampoline, then they go upstairs, then they go on the bike track, then they go downstairs - in, out, up, down, in, out, back, forth...:willy_nilly: It drives me out of my mind. Did you ever see the movie Turner And Hooch? You know how Tom Hanks goes in each room and tells the dog, "This is the Living Room...This is NOT your room"? The last time we had boys over, I operated pretty much just like that - I forcibly limited them to two places and said, "This is where you may go!" It helped. Slightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 They all want to jump on the trampoline, then they go upstairs, then they go on the bike track, then they go downstairs - in, out, up, down, in, out, back, forth...:willy_nilly: It drives me out of my mind. Ooo! Yes, you guys really were at my house yesterday. They finally ended up in my tiny kitchen and I had to chase them away. Why would they even WANT to be in my kitchen? You guys are getting me ready for next time (because my boys do LOVE these friends and I don't want to ruin the friendship.) I'll just have strong boundaries in place. 1. You can go in the playroom, boys' bedroom, or outside. Not the dining room, living room or kitchen. 2. You can eat when I provide it. You will not be given food when it is not OUR official eating time. 3. You will eat only what I provide. I will not keep making more and more sandwiches, giving you our fruit (I only buy enough for us to juuuust get when we need each week.) etc. 4. You will tidy up periodically before all the toys are scattered and the room takes 2 hours to put back in order. 5. You will NOT chit-chat with me. You are here to visit my sons. Not me. When you are visiting my sons, that is my time to be alone. 6. You will play on the computer at *:** (I'll set the time at the beginning of the playdate.) You will not beg to play on the computer earlier. Especially if you say you're bored. If you tell me that you're bored, I'll give you a chore or call your mother to come get you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 THANK YOU! Seriously cannot STAND it when I'm trying to have an adult conversation with another adult and their child keeps interrupting to try to 'converse' with us!!! I have a friend who brought her three kids over to play and her 10 yo daughter just stood there while we chatted. She kept interrupting her mother to inject her own comments, and she would yammer on and and on like a valley girl: "So and so, like, did this and so and so, like said that, and then, like, we all totally went went and did this". And her mother just stood there and let her do it. :banghead: And DS7's friend: I like you. You're a sweet kid. But I sooooooo don't want a play-by-play of your Super Mario Brothers game that goes on for 10-15 minutes. OMGosh, I HATE that! I have a friend who has 3 daughters, and the older two will just stand there and stare at us, listening to the conversation. There were times when we were discussing my divorce and I didn't want her kids there! Not to mention her kids just get right up in your face and just stare. I've had to ask them to take a few steps back, I get physically tense with someone in my face like that. My own will start to interject her opinions and I immediately shoo her off. I can't stand a child butting into a conversation between adults and is treated as if she's an equal in the conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 :iagree:I was also a kid in the 70's and this is how it was for me...Now kids need for you to do everything...Even my own kids need to much from me I think...Other people's kids definitely need more attention than my own it seems... Another 70s-80s kid. If we wanted to know what the adults were talking about, we snuck around! :lol:We certainly didn't plop ourselves down and try to partake in the conversation! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Yesterday the kid that was so clingy came back to visit. I laid down the rules. He FOLLOWED THEM PERFECTLY!!!!!!! He didn't come in the living room, he didn't ask for food, he got his own water and he waited until the set time to play on the computer with my boys. It was WONDERFUL! I even told him what a great guest he had been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I only like well behaved children. Fortunately, so does ds. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaissezFaire Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I think one of my biggest secrets is...I don't like other people's kids. Shhh... don't tell. I am generalizing some but for the most part I don't. People assume that because I have 6 kids I love all kids. Not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elinnea Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I'm glad I'm not alone. I really don't like other people's kids. Ds1 had a friend over once that was the worst. His mom needed to go somewhere so he basically invited himself over. His mom is very particular about what they eat- no processed foods etc. I was eight months pregnant at the time but decided to make spagetti and meatballs becaus what kid doesn't like spahetti? Well, the boy said he was hungry and helped himself to a huge portion of spaghetti and meatballs but barely touched any. He also brought toys over but my boys weren't allowed to touch them. I made homemade pudding pops and he liked those but kept asking for more. He kept getting "bored" and wanted to come inside to sit with me. My older ds had planned a fun treasure hunt but the boy didn't want to take part. He came inside and said, "Make me a pb&j!" I was pretty shocked at his forwardness and told him we don't normally do snacks at our house and I didn't have any peanut butter. I offered him a cheese stick but he turned up his nose at mozarella because he only likes cheddar. I was so happy when this kid left! He has not been invited back. My patience just can't handle kids like that. I also about had a fit when two of my friends from hs brought their kids over this summer so we could visit and all the kids could play. It was a beautiful day but they didn't want to play outside. All of them had brought their gameboys and sat inside. No interaction with my kids. Kept whining that they were bored, etc. Ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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