The best way to deal with issues is with preemptive measures like these:
~Limit number of guests.
~Limit time.
~Ask other people to bring food.
~Set up a clean-up plan so all family members help.
~Put out toys, games, etc. that are durable and put away anything easily broken or precious.
~Limit range of house and grounds (make sure the parents and their children both hear).
Passive aggressiveness only enables the offendors to hurt other unwary hosts, and unforgiveness or harshness hurts the sensitive or sane guests, so
~Ignore irritations and small issues, don't make guests feel bad for small issues (or even some bigger issues); they should still feel welcome if they act like sane people. Just make sure boundaries are clear. Here are some books on hospitality. My family has always been hospitable, so our problem is not with welcoming.
~Respectfully ask for help or cessation (depending on the situation) when guests are continually excessively inconsiderate.
~Address the beyond rude guests with their sin strongly (we've had a HUGE issue, so I'm not talking about the above).
I cannot share the major issues, but I will share one lesser issue. We had an irate neighbor (of course, I think this neighbor looks for offense; they've watched us in our yard and clearly weren't thrilled that a family of 6 kids moved next door) ring our doorbell about guest kids trespassing (and another innocent guest had to answer the door and take the heat); we have 3 acres, that is plenty of room to explore.
How to be a good guest.
Labels: Hospitality, Morals & Moralizing & all that Jazz