Home What reason can I give for not allowing my cousins (little) to sleep over?

[jewelgal]

These kids are cute but they are super active and I can''t watch them for long periods of time because I have delicate items through the house and
we want time to ourselves. Any believeable reason I can give for not letting them sleep over when they ask to (and their parents are right there)???

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Any reason why you can''t put away your breakables and make an exception? I mean, these kids aren''t with you all the time so the whole "we want time alone" thing doesn''t make sense.

 

[luvinlife]

Jewelgal

We already have plans (meaning: we want time to ourselves) sounds like a fair enough reason.

 

[junebug17]

I don''t think you should feel forced to care for small children overnight if you don''t feel up for it. I would just say, "sorry, tonight''s not a good night" and let it go at that. It seems wrong for parents to stand by and let their children invite themselves like that. The parents are probably hoping you''ll accept so that they have a night to themselves!

 

[TravelingGal]

"No sweetie, I think little girls need to sleep in their own beds."

ETA, I assumed they were girls, but children would work in place of girls.

 

[Mandarine]

My nephews are very active too and sort of destroy the house when they come....so thankfully my sister hasn''t asked me if they can stay without them (the parents) staying here too. I did have to tell her honestly that she needed to be careful with what they did when they were here...because it''s not just my house, she has to consider DH as well.

The one time my sister hinted they come stay was because I asked her if she would ever take care of my twins for a weekend. She said she would, if I took care of her boys. She said her boys were "much easier". I told her no thanks!!!...I explianed that her kids need entertainment because they''ll go crazy in the house and with two 4-month old babies I don''t have the flexibility to be taking them places...so it would be too hard for me to take care of them,,

So I see where you''re coming from....I think honesty is the best policy and I would talk to your brother/sister.

 

[somethingshiny]

I agree with HH. How much time are you going to be able to spend with these kids?

If you just can't take it, tell the truth. I have a nephew that I absolutely adore, but he is quite a handful. When sis asks me if he can sleep over and I don't feel up to it, I just tell her. Now she knows that when he DOES sleep over, we all enjoy the time together.



eta~ I also think you should tell the parents that you don't like being put on the spot with the kids. If the kids want to sleep over, they should ask the parents and the parents should talk to you. Otherwise, you're kind of forced into it.

 

[yssie]

If the parents are right there I would imagine they would be telling their kids that it''s very rude to be asking you without asking them first..

 

[radiantquest]

If it were me I would say that there are too many items that I worry about them breaking. I would instead offer to have them for the day so that you can take them out of the house to a park or something and if it is a matter of the parents wanting to go out then I would offer to go to their house and babysit until they came home.