Kid rules in your house

[huey]

We have 3 couples coming over this weekend for dinner and games. There will be 8 adults and 7 kids under age 9 - EEK!

I am so excited but a bit nervous. One friend keeps giving me shit and has apparently informed the other moms that we don't like kids jumping on our furniture, like we are from another planet.

Is it really that bad to expect them to not jump on our furniture? We have nicer stuff and while things have changed a bit since we've had our kid, we certainly don't anticipate letting her jump all over our stuff.

DH is nervous about stuff getting broken or damaged. He does tend to be uptight, so I've been working on that, but I am kind of nervous too! The boys are rambunctious......hello! They're kids

I have a movie and snacks planned for them and we'll be close so we can see and hear everything going on.

But are we weird for having rules and expectations?

Who knew making new friends would be so hard? Gah!

[cjeanette]

No, it is your house your rules.

[anna7602]

I do not let DD jump on the furniture in our house and would never think it strange that someone else wouldn't want her to do this at their house, either.

I think if I were expecting 7 kids at once, I would be nervous, too. Kids have a way of egging each other on and hyping each other up. Setting some ground rules makes perfect sense to me.

[huey]

I just worry that we will seem stuffy and no fun, or the ones that "just don't get it" because we have a baby.

But neither of us turned out weird because we weren't allowed to jump on furniture or get into people's shit when we were company.

My friend is in my head too much me thinks.

[pugz]

people should supervise their kids and respect your house and belongings, as long as they do that it should be fine.

[chessie]

We have rules even for the nieces. No jumping on furniture, cannot be anywhere without supervision, do not touch the animals, stuff like that. Put away anything that can break that is reachable to little hands though.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Yes there'll be a lot of kids at your house but they'll be there with their parents. Only the rudest, most self-absorbed people would let their kids jump on your furniture or make a mess in your house.

[thatgirl2478]

Why on earth would you ALLOW your kids to jump on the furniture? First, they can get hurt that way. Second, the furniture would wear out faster.

I don't even allow my kid to STAND on the furniture and she's 19mo!

I would be nervous with 7 kids all at once too. If I were you I'd put the obvious stuff up now, before they have a chance to mess with it.

[aurora]

I think it's fair to have rules. We ended up stopping inviting one couple with kids to our house because we didn't think they were monitoring their children well enough to respect our property.

[Deleted]

WTF is wrong with people? Do they really allow a circus to run rampant at home? I would never let that crap fly at home, so it's not happening at other people's houses either. Manners people! Where are they these days?

[Deleted]

You absolutely should have rules for your house. And the other parents need to respect that. I can't believe anyone thinks it's okay for kids to jump on furniture.

[Deleted]

It's absolutely your right to not have them jump on the furniture.

I would go over the rules with the kids and the parents when they get there.

[huey]

Ah! Thanks ladies! I really was starting to get nervous It'll be just fine. And fun!

[vanillacourage]

Your house, your rules.

But, put away the breakables. Even the best-behaved kids can get nuts when there are 7 of them in a room.

[definitelyO]

It is 100% within your rights to not allow the kids to jump on your furniture. and it's 100% wrong of those parents to try to make you feel bad about it. BS.

my kid doesn't jump on my furniture and I don't let other kids do it either.

age appropriate movie and snacks will be great for the kids. and if you have something else for them to play with - games, playdough, crayons, etc... that could help as well. not all kids will sit through an entire movie.

[drloretta]

I think it's probably a combination of you expecting total chaos, and this particular mom being weird.

It's perfectly fine to have rules in your house when kids are there. But it's also quite possible they'll be reasonably well behaved and a lot of your worries will be unfounded.

Unless you share friends with Miso

[dexteroni]

Um yeah, definitely no jumping on the furniture. It's ridiculous that they're giving you a hard time about it.

But as far as breaking things, your DH might just have to kidproof as much as possible, and then chill. I have two nephews who are well-behaved, and something still breaks every time they visit. It's just how kids are. They aren't throwing vases across the room or anything, it's just that stuff breaks when kids use it. Even well-behaved kids aren't delicate.

[Wines Not Whines]

I would not let my kid jump on another person's furniture. I don't even let him jump on our own furniture! Your friends sound a little crazy.

Do you have any outdoor space where the kids can play? They could run around and let off some steam and hopefully not break anything out there.

[Deleted]

Is it reasonable of you to expect them to not jump on your furniture? Yes.
Is it reasonable of you to expect them sit quietly and watch a movie? No. I'd have some other things planned for them as well.

[Roc A Bee]

The only rule we have is no food or drinks in the living room rule. They have to stay in the dining room where there is tile. We don't have kids, so this is for my friend's kid.

[lys]

Rules for our kids and the children of others- no jumping on furniture .
Keep your hands off things that are not yours. - Look with your eyes, do not touch.

[gardengal]

my kid isn't allowed to jump on our furniture (and because of this, he doesn't attempt to on other people's).

i don't think this is an odd rule.

[dr.girlfriend]

What does "under age 9" encompass? Like, a bunch of 5 - 9 years olds, or some 2 - 3 year olds? I think there's a happy medium between furniture-jumping and expecting 2 year olds or younger to sit and watch a movie. There will likely be running around if there are a bunch of toddlers or preschoolers. I would try to put away as much breakable stuff as you can, it's not going to be fun for anyone if your house is like "Bob's House of Jagged Glass and Open Flames."

[MixedBerryJam]

I think it's totally fair to have broad rules in your house: no jumping on the furniture; no chasing the animals, that type of thing.

But I think it's also the hosts' responsibility to, within reason, make sure the rules can reasonably be followed, too: put away anything particularly fragile, valuable, or sentimental; make sure the animals are always in your line of sight so you can intervene, and make sure the kids take off their shoes when they come in the house, just in case. Good luck!

[rex]

No jumping of furniture is a very reasonable rule.

What parent would assume it is okay for their kid to jump on someone else's furniture?!?

[huey]

Hey, had to take DD do the Dr.

We are kidproofing. And we know they will play and have fun - or at least we hope! I have games and other things for them to play with as well as the movie. They are 9,8,6,4,4,3, and DD. They are great kids overall.

[livinitup]

When DD was 2, she played with a 3 yo who liked to jump on our couch, so we said 'no way'. The mom was all "Why?" and we said "Becuase the couch is old and on its last legs, it could easily break." We thought, but didn't say that OUR child doesn't jump on the couch and we don't want her to learn any bad lessons.

Then, when they visited, I heard the mom say "Remember, honey, they don't like when you jump on their couch. There is no couch jumping here." And when the kid whined "Why?", the mom said "I don't know sweetie, I don't know." 8-D

I definately got the weird vibe from it. But whatevs. Our couch used to be old and nearly broken, now its new and well, NEW. No couch jumping.

[Deleted]

There is only one rule.

Do what I say.

[greekypie]

I totally let my kid jump on our furniture. But that's only for our home, and only designated pieces of furniture.

[Deleted]

Then, when they visited, I heard the mom say "Remember, honey, they don't like when you jump on their couch. There is no couch jumping here." And when the kid whined "Why?", the mom said "I don't know sweetie, I don't know
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