What kind of limits (if any) do you set on your dc's time with neighbor kids?

[PineFarmMom]

Because of the hurricane there is no school, plus we just finished summer...I feel like there are either children wanting to be at my home all the time OR my dc are wanting to be at other kids homes in our neighborhood all the time!! Even when school is going, it seems continuous. What kind of rules do you-all who have neighbor kids set up for your home, your dc, and their time in this area? My dc are 13 and 10, and the past year is the first time we have ever had neighbor kids. A little is reasonable, but I'm having a hard time knowing what lines to draw, especially so that we can have plenty of family time. I am grateful for where we are in life right now, but sometimes I miss the days of no neighbor children. Do any of you just allow weekends?

T

[Amy in Orlando]

Hurricane days can be trying! For me, we have our school days and the kids cannot play until their schoolwork is finished. Period. Their friends know this and, for the most part respect it.

 

Our neighborhood is weird, we've all lived here for a long time and our kids have grown up together. We have a general signal - if the garage door is down, no one can play. If the garage door is up, it's all good. Maybe you can develop a "signal" for the neighborhood kids?

[Aubrey]

Well, it depends. For political prosyletizing or play? ;)

[Amy in Orlando]

Well, it depends. For political prosyletizing or play? ;)

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol: You just made my day, Aubrey!

[Aubrey]

:lol::lol::lol::lol: You just made my day, Aubrey!

I'm trying! :lol:

[PineFarmMom]

Well, it depends. For political prosyletizing or play? ;)

 

Strictly for the "play" part. Though these particular neighbors are Obama supporters, so I can see the prosyletizing being a future "plan" on their part. I guess that would definitely make my boundaries easier to implement if they started that nonsense. :lol:

 

Teresa

[Kris]

No phone calls or visitors before 4:00 p.m. This works pretty well when PS is in session, except for the neighbor boy, who is also homeschooled, and calls any time between 12:00 and 4:00.

 

When PS isn't in session, the phone starts ringing at 9:00 a.m. -- though we don't have a problem with visitors because everyone lives miles away. I answer it if I feel like it -- otherwise the answering machine gets it. They just assume since they are out of school, my son is, too.

[KidsHappen]

Of course, home/school work must be done. Chores must be done. And they have to come in for dinner. Other than that I am all in favor of them playing outside. Fresh air and exercise are great. So much better than parked in front of a screen and they already get plenty of mom time. They don't stay out all of that time of course, but that is when they are allowed to go out. Some days they don't go out at all and other days only for an hour or so. Some days I swear that I should have a revolving door because children are coming and go so much.

[jamnkats]

I don't have rules but I do miss the routine we had established before the neighbors came back. It is very different here though, as these neighbors are English-speaking Canadians (look where we live before rolling your eyes :)).

 

After a week of doing nothing (and honestly, I am getting as much out of our academia - nay, MORE - than the kids) I told them how much I missed our reading and discussion sessions and we figured out a way to fit them in and the kids still play. They'll tell the neighbor kids they're doing "school" and tell them to wait until they're done. Now the really weird part is that we were doing our academia from about 8pm to 10pm or later and the boys decided to move it to when they wake up AND they're getting up at noon instead of 3pm. So go figure.