What are the sorts of things you keep in mind as a parent when you are visiting someone else’s home with your children?
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
**the following is a bare minimum:
-watch ur kids' behaviours
-help in doing chores with ur host
-take them to a dinner once during ur stay...if it's for more than a couple of days
-take gifts [reasonably priced, not recycled!]
-do NOT engage in back-biting
-don't be too demanding
-give them their space
-keep ur area tidy, make ur bed every morning
-offer to make tea for them! :)
**
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
^ A great list!
The topic is not limited to long stays at someone else's home. Even if you are just going to a dawat.
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
For a short trip/dawat...I have kept in mind not to hand her any food so that she does not make a mess.Because this is what she does at home.Makes a mess while she eats ...and I expect that from her,she is 14.5 months old.
A few people I have visited lately have kids around her age (2 and 2.5 year olds)...and if they are playing together,I have tried to tell mine to share the toys...I am not sure she understands the concepts fully but I have tried....
Mine hasn't done it yet but I have always seen kids wanting to take off with a toy or something...that is a total no no.The other day we were visiting someone and the other family there also had a toddler who took the host's daughter's bangles and they were like oh it is ok ...it is just 2 bangles...no way...2 bangles or whatever,it is just not acceptable....
This is all I can think of...might add later on...:)
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
I did not notice that the topic is about visits with kids. I will post mine later.
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
watch that your kids behave... my kids are older 4.5 and 2 respectively, so I do give them food. So make sure they don't sit on WHITE seat while eating.. lols.. wipe off their hands and mouth as soon as they are done.. at times in between too.. basically make sure they don't make a mess and incase they do, always clean it up.
re: Etiquette when visiting homes
If the kids are younger make sure you have extra diapers and extra set of clothes with you.
Keep a watchful eyes on your own kids, do not count on others to take care of your kids.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
How do you guys dispose of diapers? (especially in homes without small children)
*wrap up and toss in a bathroom trashcan?
*wrap up in a plastic bag and toss in trashcan?
*wrap up in a plastic bag and take home to toss?
*other?
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
If I’m at my in-laws or parents or brothers house then it goes in a bag and then in the trash…if I’m at someone elses home like a cousins then I usually wrap in the plastic bag and ask them where I can throw it out, if I’m at an aquaintances house then I wrap it in a plastic bag and take it home
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
I carry these in the diaper bag and put the dirty diaper in it and usually ask if it is ok to throw it in the bathroom or kitchen trash(they usually go in the bathroom trash).Mostly the people we know have young kids themselves and have a diaper genie thingy so that works too.
The dirty diaper always goes in a plastic bag and then in the trash if we are visiting anyone.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
As a host, I have always hated it when someone would visit my home and IMMEDIATELY start rearranging my belongings, rather than keeping an eye on the kid and teaching her/him to behave. If it's one thing that is precariously positioned or dangerous, that's fine, but there is no need to move around every knickknack within your child's reach. So I am always careful to keep a close eye on Bunny and train her at home and outside about how to behave around such things. I've been lucky tho, as she is naturally sensible and I know other kids are more interested in getting into anything that is forbidden, but still, I feel parents need to make an extra effort in this regard.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
The one thing I have noticed when people with little kids who visit my house, is if they break something then their parents just laugh it off :S i find it so annoying!!
A kid came over and broke a very expensive vase and his mother was just like haha oh dear, and didnt say sorry, tell her kid it was wrong or clean it up!
So i would say that if your kid does make a mess or break an expensive ornament then even if you dont care and are not sorry, apologise to the host on your childs behalf.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
I just wonder…after reading alllllllll these posts on GS…are there ANY parents who will admit that they do this? i..e, let their kids take other ppls’ toys or ruin other ppls belongings etc?
or are they just too ashamed to admit? 
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
Parents who can't control their children or parents whose children have a habit of destroying other people's belongings shouldn't bring their children over.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
^ i agree, it is sooo annoying when parents don't tell thier kids off or tell them to keep quite, your having a conversation and the brat is screaming or shouting at the top of thier voice and the parents are oblivous to it! wells that all very well for you cause you see it at home on a daily basis but hey we live on our own, it can be rather traumatic.
Parents really need to teach kids manners when it comes to visits to other peoples houses.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
Kids are lovely and not mature enough to behave like a gentleman all the time but I simply hate parents when they do this:
1-Dont teach/preach their kids at home as how to behave at others places and when they do something wrong they open their Etiquette Books and start scolding their kids just to soothe the host 
and when they are back home the incident is all but forgotten.
2-When kids of some close relative say, aunt do this and that aunt is old enough and who has seen you in your childhood, says, “You guys used to do the same” with a devil smile when everybody else including our parents know that we never belonged to the same lot 
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
My parents never advised me before visiting any place as I was very innocent & well disciplined kid :LB:
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
I watch my child like a hawk .... The inly time he is left totally alone is if he is with other kids in their own room.... Even then we take turns to check that all kids are alive and well... We change him in the washroom and keep scented bags on us.. Diaper goes in it and into the trash can... We dont allow him to feed himself cuz he makes a mess... He doesnt touch things at other ppls place... Just toys... So thats a relief.... And we keep all his things in check before leaving... Dont want to leave a trail of personal belongings at the host's house.
Also.... I know what my kid likes to eat and what he doesnt... So i always pack some food up for him as well as snacks from home. I find it very rude when ppl come and raid ure fridge the min they enter ure house ...cuz their kid is hungry. I have nothing against feeding...its not even bout the food.... Its just sending thw wrong kinda signal to the child...that its ok to go looking through someone elses kitchen, for food.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
What are the sorts of things you keep in mind as a parent when you are visiting someone else's home with your children?
Well when the kids were younger, I'd make sure I went with all the supplies..diapers/bottles/milk. If a diaper had to be changed, I would ask the host where I could dispose the diaper off. Other than that, I usually had a favorite toy if they didn't have kids.
Re: Etiquette when visiting homes
You all are very nice mothers Masha Allah..and Insha Allah I will teach all good things and points above to my future kids 