[ILuvMyHusband]

I'm dreading tonite, having a few of the neighbors over. Usually we go over there... but tonite the gang is coming here. I'm pretty anal about how clean I keep my house. Well, last time they were over, she stopped by for only about 20 minutes. Her son is going to be 2 next month. He's really big for his age. Well, they don't watch him. He was all over the place and into EVERYTHING. It was like a hurricane had come through and destroyed the place. She moved some candles and stuff because he was picking them up and throwing them. She didn't even bother to move the stuff back to it's spot before she left. He was running laps on my light beige couch with shoes on. My husband tried entertaining him and he got bored and threw a video game controller across my living room. I know it's not his fault. He's curious and he doesn't know any better. He's never been taught otherwise. My house is not baby proof. Whenever we go to their house it's a wreck... spaghetti-o's thrown on their nice tv for example. I just want to scream WATCH YOUR KID.But I'm trying to think of a way to get out of it so that the guys can hang out here at the house and the girls can do something else so that my house is not the aftermath of a natural disaster. I don't think I'm being too harsh? There's two other children the same age that come over with their mom when she comes over and she would never stand for them touching things without permission. Sorry for the long post... just had to vent!

[invisicat]

If you want to be subtle, and have the means, why not hire a babysitter to play with the boy in a backyard or another room (with no breakables).

If you don't, you can politely tell them the invitation is for adults only, because you can enjoy their conversation so much better without distractions.

[ILuvMyHusband]

Thanks for the suggestions! Those are both great ideas.
That would give the hint wouldn't it.
But I feel like I should just bite my tongue and deal with it. I would rather just complain to my tpf buddies than deal with the actual problem LoL

[SPOILEDkiwi]

My mom sometimes gets into the same situation. She just nicely tells the other people that she would rather everyone go to their place since her house isn't childproof. People usually get the hint.

[merika]

Originally Posted by SPOILEDkiwi

My mom sometimes gets into the same situation. She just nicely tells the other people that she would rather everyone go to their place since her house isn't childproof. People usually get the hint.

This is true. Think of the safety of the kid. We once had a couple of kids who came over to our house. They ran amok, they drank tea from the mug I was drinking from! They opened the refrigerator and ate stuff from inside!!!

The next time, I told their mom that our house was not childproof and would not want her kids to hurt themselves.

I mean if anything DOES go wrong and a kid hurts himself because of it, you might be held liable!

[gillianna]

Some women just don't care. I was at a party and the mother did not watch her kid for a minute. I think he was around two. She expected her dad to watch the kid. Well he did a great job, I saw the kid fall over the concrete step in to the dirt. Then the guy put the kid on the slide and did not catch him at the bottom so the kid goes flying off in to the dirt. He hit his back and almost smashed his head on the end of the slide. He tried to grab the wine bottle opener (sharp) a few times. I mean he had it until a adult took it away. From what I heard this is normal behaviour from the mom and family.....I mean are they waiting for a accident to happen. Oh I forgot to mention him trying to grab the alcoholic drinks too......I don't know if there is a good way to tell someone you don't want their destructive unsupervised kid wrecking your home. The only thing I have done in the past with kids coming over to play before I had children was to have a plastic bin with toys and stuff to keep them busy. Coloring books and blocks were the biggest hit. I am sure the kid is bored and it is really up to the parents to do something.
Good luck.

[lv_forever]

Wait, the event is in the evening so why is a 2 year old coming over...? Don't get me wrong, I have a 2 year old nephew and I adore him, but he does get super cranky towards the end of the evening. It's like he's in overdrive and can't stop unless an adult specifically does something to wind him down (giving some milk, reading books, etc.) at least 30 minutes before he goes into the bed.

I really don't think an adult gathering is appropriate for a child, especially since it means it will be 100% boring for the kid. Unless there are some kids his age or other fun things to do, I think it's selfish of the parents to bring them over. Especially if the parent is not willing to assume the responsibility of entertaining the kid.

[ILuvMyHusband]

Originally Posted by lv_forever

Wait, the event is in the evening so why is a 2 year old coming over...?

This is their plan... they keep him up late so that he will sleep in, therefore letting them sleep in. He was up at midnite the other nite, exhausted.

And by the way... I happened to avoid the nite with flying colors!! Hooray!

[Rockst@r]

How the hell does anyone "keep a kid up so he'll sleep in the next day?" WTF?!? Some people don't need to be parents! Kids go to bed EARLY and then you can do what you wanna do, kwim? People like that piss me off. My gf from childhood has kids like that...busy, bad, whatevah you wanna call 'em, and I told her, "Either police your kids or you can't come over." If they're that inconsiderate of you and yours, then why care about their feelings? And I have a child, but my house doesn't look like it!

[ILuvMyHusband]

Originally Posted by Rockst@r

And I have a child, but my house doesn't look like it!

I know huh! She comes into my house and says "Oh this is what a house looks like before you have kids". And it's like, no, this is what a house looks like when you simply pick up after yourself. I know plenty of people that keep things clean with a house full of kids. It's a matter of hygiene. Who wants to eat off a counter with trash and old stinky food on it? Not I.

Originally Posted by ILuvMyHusband

Thanks for the suggestions! Those are both great ideas.
That would give the hint wouldn't it.
But I feel like I should just bite my tongue and deal with it. I would rather just complain to my tpf buddies than deal with the actual problem LoL

*************************************************
No way! You should not have to deal with that! One time, Before I had kids, my friends girlfriend brough over her daughter (who BTW could not keep her hands to herself). She broke a sand dollar that DH and I got on our honeymoon from a snorkeling adventure, I found lolipop stuck to my 6 month old couch, and gum, Yes, Gum, stuck in my rug by the entrance way. She popped a hole in my screen door because she was being rough with it. All this in one night!!! I could not believe what a terror she was! (made me not want kids). After that incident, We started going to their place, because I did not want her kid in my house anymore. Everytime they came over my house was wrecked.

When we go to other people's houses, my children know better. they clean up after themselves, they are polite with their manners, and they do not touch ANYTHING they are not suppose to. (Even my 1 year old does not touch valuables!)

For having 3.5 boys, my house is very clean. People are very suprised kids live in my house! LOL! The only evidence is knicked walls and scuffed walls. (which I constantly try to wipe down.) But otherwise, no toys are allowed downstairs, if they want to play, they go to their rooms (which they clean every night before bed). DH and I decided we need our own space (besides the bedroom) and we want the downstairs toy free. And it works really well.

I hope that you don't have to go through that again. That's terrible. I would try to have them make alternate plans with their kid or something. (though it could be hard if they don't/can't get a sitter). My parents are 2 hrs away, and I don't have a sitter I can trust close by. Good Luck to you!!! I hope your situation works out!!

(sorry for my mini-novel)