Neighbour's Children

[Gillster]

We have new neighbours with two small, very pleasant children.  We have an 18 month old and the neighbours children frequently knock at our door asking if he can come out and play.  Obviously at 18 months, he cannot go out and play with them alone, so we find ourselves making excuses as to why he cannot come out.  We don't want to appear rude, but can anyone suggest how we get the message across politely that it will be a few more year before he can play independently of us.

[acw]

Why don't you invite the new neighbours over for coffee one afternoon so that all the kids can play together - supervised by their own parents.  This may then lead on to nextdoor's kids being allowed to come to "play" with your son at your house sometimes.  Also it will help remind the parents that at 18months you can't let them out of your sight.  This might make them ask their own children to stop knocking on your door! :-)

[jackie0]

Whenever you've got time, you could stay with them outside too while they are playing.  When u're ready to go in, just say its time for him to change nappies or eat or something, and if u don't mind you can let them come in as well..

[Dom Tuk]

Gillster, children are always looking for companions to play with and the neighbour hood kids were always knocking on my door when they saw my car on the drive and reckoned my son was in. The big problem was that i was doing night shifts and my son had just started school (his friends did not know that and thought he would be in as usual as they had connected a car in the drive with son being home). There is no greater irritant than being woken up after a night shift. But there is really nothing i could do. The children were very young and sweet and well meaning. Now they have all grown up. Grin and bear it.

[ann_h]

All the local children ask for my daughter to play out. She's 11 months old, they just want to sit on the front lawn with her really - surely one of you can spare half an hour to sit with them all, rather than playing with your son alone?