If a bunch of teens show up to your house around dinner time, do you always feed them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. My rule is I’ll feed one extra but any more than that usually not. They can go out and get food and ask their parents for money. Or they can eat ramen (I usually have something like that handy).

They don’t usually expect to be fed, either.

So if two friends show up, you will feed one of those friends but not the other one. Got it. Totally normal. You must have a lot of friends.

lol. I thought it was obvious that I meant I would include one extra kid in dinner, but if it’s more than that (it’s often an extra 4 plus kids) I did not provide dinner for any friends.

Whatever I planned for dinner for a family of 4 can usually accommodate a family of 5, but more than that usually means something else has to be made/bought.

I have a lot of friends, thanks for asking. I think most of you have never been the hangout house.

If you are send teens away rather than feeding meals, I’m skeptical that you are actually the teen hang out house.

I don’t know parents who are so wedded to their dinner plans that they don’t improvise, pulls stuff out of freezer, etc for more guests.

Not PP but really?? You don’t know people who buy 4 steaks expecting to feed 4 people? Or plan to make something but can double it easily with freezer food? If I have no dinner plan then of course I can order pizza but I often do have specific dinner ingredients for the few nights a week I cook.

I am the PP who regularly has 5-6 kids at my house and am definitely the hang out house (not only because we have food....) I don't scrap my dinner plans when I feed them. I might cook 2 of the steaks for DH and I and freeze the other 2/save them for fajitas the next day/whatever. Whatever I make (if I cook vs delivery) for the teens is VERY simple/easy/quick. Yes, there have been a few times when we have said no (celebratory dinner, something I can't alter/freeze/etc, not feeling up to having a bunch of kids) and a cheerful "Sorry, guys, can't do dinner over here tonight, we are celebrating Larla's dad's birthday/I had a rough day at work and exhausted/whatever! Have a great night and we look forward to seeing you soon!" Kids get it. They understand when there is a reason...vs an excuse.

I agree. I am the one who posted above that I would do it for my youngest and not my oldest. My oldest has friends over all the time. I feed them all the time. So, if there is a day when feeding them was hard because we were tired from vacation and the fridge and freezer were empty, saying “not today” would be fine. They’re not going to abandon us as a the house for hanging out because of one “not today”, and for us budget is an issue.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I always order a few pizzas for them.

[Anonymous]

City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

“Rich” kids going to chipotle or subway or Cava…yeah, they order the caviar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

“Rich” kids going to chipotle or subway or Cava…yeah, they order the caviar.

Sorry, I'll say it another way "spoiled kids".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is where I order a few of the $6.99 dominos pizzas, maybe throw on a couple of their other sides. They don’t care about quality and need the quantity. You can’t beat 5 for $35 to feed hungry teens.

This. AND i make them pick it up (the place is a 5 min walk away). With teen boys 1 pizza per kid usually works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is where I order a few of the $6.99 dominos pizzas, maybe throw on a couple of their other sides. They don’t care about quality and need the quantity. You can’t beat 5 for $35 to feed hungry teens.

This. AND i make them pick it up (the place is a 5 min walk away). With teen boys 1 pizza per kid usually works.

Oh and we live in the city too (not sure what that has to do with anything, but someone brought it up).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

“Rich” kids going to chipotle or subway or Cava…yeah, they order the caviar.

Sorry, I'll say it another way "spoiled kids".

Again…how are they spoiled if they walk to a restaurant and order a $10-$15 meal? Strange definition of spoiled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is where I order a few of the $6.99 dominos pizzas, maybe throw on a couple of their other sides. They don’t care about quality and need the quantity. You can’t beat 5 for $35 to feed hungry teens.

This. AND i make them pick it up (the place is a 5 min walk away). With teen boys 1 pizza per kid usually works.

Oh and we live in the city too (not sure what that has to do with anything, but someone brought it up).

Only that older teens don’t tend to congregate at anyone’s house at dinner time when they can easily walk to 20+places

[Anonymous]

I’d ask my kid what the plan is - are the teens + my kid going out to dinner? Did my kid tell them I’d feed them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only have pre-teens but when does this change? I’d worry that their parents would be upset at me for feeding them. Or that their parents didn’t know where they were and were upset they were over at my place. Hungry tweens have shown up at dinner time and I just tell them to go home because it’s time for us to eat. I’m not a stingy person either and I do supply snacks galore.

You worry what other parents think?

Jesus.

Oh...we don't have to worry about this? Sweet.

At a certain age - 12? 14? Kids should know their parents expectations and act accordingly. My oldest is 10 and 10/11 yr old boys when I ask about dinner and timing will say -
I’d love to stay!
Let me text my mom and tell her I’m eating here.
Thanks, but I’m supposed to be home at 6pm for dinner.

Maybe the first kid is going to eat at my house AND at home? Not my problem. If they don’t have a phone or a texting watch - 80% of them at this age - I offer to call or text their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

“Rich” kids going to chipotle or subway or Cava…yeah, they order the caviar.

Sorry, I'll say it another way "spoiled kids".

Again…how are they spoiled if they walk to a restaurant and order a $10-$15 meal? Strange definition of spoiled.

Different poster but my young teens can't afford to do that on the regular and I'm not going to pay for them to do that when they can make a bunch of quesadillas or ramen with their friends at home. Heck I didn't do that for myself. I bring my lunch to work. It's a privilege to be able to afford that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City kids must be different…they prefer to just walk a couple blocks to commercial areas and get their own food.

We offer for our kids and their friends by they all prefer the independence of going out (I guess they could be lying but my kid says they rarely/never stay at anyone’s house for a meal).

Snacks are a different story.

I live in a suburb but with plenty in walking distance. In my experience this isn’t “city kids” it’s “rich kids”.

“Rich” kids going to chipotle or subway or Cava…yeah, they order the caviar.

Sorry, I'll say it another way "spoiled kids".

Again…how are they spoiled if they walk to a restaurant and order a $10-$15 meal? Strange definition of spoiled.

Different poster but my young teens can't afford to do that on the regular and I'm not going to pay for them to do that when they can make a bunch of quesadillas or ramen with their friends at home. Heck I didn't do that for myself. I bring my lunch to work. It's a privilege to be able to afford that.

Ok…but most people posting are not providing ramen to the kids…they are ordering them food. As one mentioned, they order a pizza per kid for $7…which isn’t much less than $10.

Also…these are older teens (many with jobs) who many times use their own money.