Help! Warm weather brings out the hungry neighborhood kids!

[disneymom3]

Honestly I can't believe how rude people are, I won't say kids because we have had adult friends of my DH do it. Come into MY kitchen and get into my fridge/pantry/cabinets without even asking!?!? What the hell?

I QUOTE]
I messed up the quote, sorry. Backspace is broken.

Anyway, I also cannot believe these kids go into your cupboard and help themselves! We go through enough food when i give them permission!

I stick to freezy pops, popcorn and big old buckets of pretzel logs that I get at Aldi. If they are thristy, once the water is on outside they drink out of the hose. (Yeah, yeah, we did it all the time growing up.) Otherwise they can have sometimes a pitcher of kool aid but mainly water. In the winter if I am feeling extremely generous I make hot chocolate from a mix.

 

[iwrbnd]

It's like therapy to read everyone's responses! Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one dealing with this!

Right now there are 6 extra kids here which isn't too bad. One day there were 15 and none had been invited! I jokingly told one kid we were claiming him on our tax forms! I guess I should be glad we have the "fun" house but I still need to vent sometimes!

Thanks for the stories. I love to hear how others handle it!

 

[minniebeth]

Right now there are 6 extra kids here which isn't too bad. One day there were 15 and none had been invited!

That's crazy! Even 6! You could give them just water and your water bill will be high! I know what I said about sharing and giving, but that's just way too much!

 

[krcit]

Lately I've started buying only "food" which means no snacks and the only thing in our cabinents are ingredients for dinner. One kid said "You don't have much food do you?"

But, then they started getting bowls of cereal and making sandwiches! Are you kidding me???

I've lectured my kids but it's hard because neighborhood children show up to play with everyone so nobody ends up being responsible. One year I started telling each one the food rule as they entered the house. The problem is so many come and go a few would get by me and eat. Then when one eats they all join in. Sometimes I feel like the food police and I hate it!

I can't believe that kids open up cabinets and take stuff. That's insane. The first time that happened at my house would be the last I love having kids here and I always offer a snack but I would be flabbergasted if any of my kids friends did that. How are these kids raised??

 

[iwrbnd]

I know, it still amazes me and it's been going on for the whole 14 years we've lived in this house! These kids have come from all over the country (military town) and it's still the same. I think the problem is our neighborhood is a nice closed off area that makes everyone feel like family. They see their neighbor's home as an extension of their own home. They will even walk in my house without knocking! I have a love/hate relationship with my neighborhood!

 

[PaulaSue]

My neighbor had this problem when her kids were younger (before we moved into our house). She said that she would offer the kids carrots, and only carrots, every time they asked for a snack. They stopped asking!

LOVE IT!!!

 

[mumom95]

I have a basket that I put on the counter that is filled with snack items. Sometimes its purchased stuff, sometimes its homemade stuff--but always inexpensive stuff. But that basket is the limit and they cannot go into the cabinets or fridge. I also make a big jug of Kool-Aid or Lemonade and set it on the counter with plastic cups.

I do the same thing when dd has friends spending the night. After supper, I put the basket and the jug on the counter and let them know its there.

I like to make the kids feel welcome but don't want to go broke in the process.

I think this is a great idea.

It doesn't bother me so much when the kids help themselves to the food. But we don't have one house that everyone hangs out at. One day it may be ours, the next our next door neighbors and the next day the one across the street. I guess if it was always my house I may feel differently.

 

[iwrbnd]

I think this is a great idea.

It doesn't bother me so much when the kids help themselves to the food. But we don't have one house that everyone hangs out at. One day it may be ours, the next our next door neighbors and the next day the one across the street. I guess if it was always my house I may feel differently.

Your lucky everyone shares the duty! I have a few neighbors that would help but the kids want to be at my house! I really don't know why because I do nothing to encourage it and my house isn't really that fun! It must be that I have 4 kids that range in age so there is always someone here that is close to your age.

The other thing is there is always a child here. It's hard to have family time. Just this afternoon the whole family was watching a movie on a rainy day. I was thinking "This is so nice" and then all of a sudden I hear kids at the door and mine are off wanting to play.

I was thinking of making a couple days "off limit" this summer. Like saying Tuesdays and Thursdays nobody comes over. What do you think of that? I've tried so many things and nothing works. I'm starting to panic thinking about summer!

 

[mrslur]

Our kids are all grown now but when they were growing up our house was the "hang out" house. We always kept a shelf of cheap snacks - popcorn, pretzels, etc. and drinks that our kids knew they could give to anyone. We don't regret for one moment letting all those kids hang here. Some of those "kids" still stop by with their spouses and their own babies to spend time with us. It also kept us close to our own kids by allowing their friends into our lives.

 

[Kathi OD]

Our kids are all grown now but when they were growing up our house was the "hang out" house. We always kept a shelf of cheap snacks - popcorn, pretzels, etc. and drinks that our kids knew they could give to anyone. We don't regret for one moment letting all those kids hang here. Some of those "kids" still stop by with their spouses and their own babies to spend time with us. It also kept us close to our own kids by allowing their friends into our lives.

OP, at least you know where your kids are, who they are hanging out with, and what they are doing. To me, it was always worth a little bit of bad manners and some extra food to have that peace of mind.

 

[lovebuzz]

What you need to do is give your kids a budget. They each have to buy their own snacks for their friends and if any money is left over they get to keep it.


You will be amazed at how frugal your kids can be and when their friends start eating a lot they will tell them " Hey, you know that cost __ , slow down.

 

[pipersmom]

I have the same problem as well..I buy the economy size boxes of freezer pops and keep at least 10 in the freezer. The kids know they're there, but they have to ASK if they want one, and they know it's the only snack going! Occasionally I'll make a dollar store run and get a bag of tootsie pops, or pretzels..but when I bring those out the poor kids think it's a party at this point!

 

[ilovejack02]

I buy the biggest bag of freezer pops, cheap pretzels and koolaid. When kids spend the night it is spaghetti night and usually they will finish it all lol.

Other than that I tell the little boogers to go home, unless it is a scheduled playdate and then I provide snacks of course, but just the roaming neighborhood kids.. GO HOME !

 

[iwrbnd]

Our kids are all grown now but when they were growing up our house was the "hang out" house. We always kept a shelf of cheap snacks - popcorn, pretzels, etc. and drinks that our kids knew they could give to anyone. We don't regret for one moment letting all those kids hang here. Some of those "kids" still stop by with their spouses and their own babies to spend time with us. It also kept us close to our own kids by allowing their friends into our lives.

You're right! Thanks for putting it in perspective! I've just been doing this for so long (my oldest is almost 17) and there seems to be no end in sight (youngest is 7) that I forget what is important. I love parenting and I'm not complaining about that but sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of other kids I seem to be raising! Also, I'm a teacher and I feel like I never get a break from large masses of children! Speaking of that, I'm off to teach Sunday School!

 

[anniemae]

I like the idea of having a set snack put out and that's IT! No looking in the cabinets, no foreging in the fridge. Just put out something inexpensive like popcorn, or an economy size bag of animal crackers. For drinks, just put out a pitcher of tap water (provided it's drinkable).

If they want lunch or a meal, they need to go home!