How to Keep Other People's Kids from Destroying Your House

We've all known people who don't seem to care what their kids do when visiting other people's homes, and I've had to deal with this problem firsthand on many occasions. Unfortunately, these are the guests we hate to see at the door, but there are effective ways to keep other people's children from destroying your house without offending the parents. With a lot of tact and a little ingenuity, you can keep other people's kids from destroying your house and keep your friendship from being destroyed along with it.

Keep Bedrooms Off-Limits

I used to allow my friend's and relative's kids to go upstairs and play in my daughter's bedroom, and all of the kids, including my own, would end up destroying the room. After they left, it looked as if a tornado went through! In addition to destroying my daughter's bedroom, because the kids weren't being supervised, they entered my son's room and broke something of his. Although it was nice to have the kids in another area of the house so the adults could talk without the noise, I vowed never to allow other people's kids to play upstairs again.

Keep Other Levels Off-Limits

Bedrooms aren't the only rooms unsupervised children can end up destroying. Other levels of a home can also be ravaged by rampant children. I had a full finished basement with a toy box for the kids, and by the time two kids had finished playing, it looked as if a dozen kids had been intent on destroying the room.

As much as you'd like to send other people's children, along with your own, elsewhere to play indoors, keep them on the same level and within sight of adults. If you don't seem concerned when other people's kids are destroying your house, they won't be concerned either. If you don't care, why should they? Make it clear to the kids within earshot of adults, that kids must play on the same level. This will help ensure that other people's kids, along with your own, won't end up destroying your home.

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