Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
1. I have a neighbor that i'm good friends with. her son is the same age as my daughter (11), except while my daughter is learning how to cook and taking cpr classes, her son still plays with legos and spills soda on everything.
Over the summer, she asked me if he could stay at my house for a few hours once in a while when she had to work. at first I said okay, then i said i couldn't have him there when no adult was home. (because i came home to a MESS and doors left wide open, cats running off, things broken, mud tracked through the house, etc.). She said ok, and he still would come over "to play" and told her that he stayed outside, although he didn't. I finally had to say that i just can't have him come over at all when i'm not here. at all.
ok. she understood. our friendship was fine.
Last night, she said nobody would be home at her house when the kids got off the bus. for me, this isn't a problem, as my daughter comes home and does her homework, plus my boys are home. she asked if her son could come to my house, just for 20 minutes.
I said i wouldn't be home and she said it would just be 20 minutes. and my boys would be home, right?
yes, i said. he came over and she didn't pick him up until 4:30pm. she ran late. I came home to find he had been in my room chasing the dog, and then in my boys rooms distracting them from THEIR homework. he had a snack at my house, of cereal and milk, which he left out.
so my neighbor thanked me and said it worked out GREAT and said she is probably going to ask me for the same favor in a few days.
how do i say no and still remain friends?
2. For christmas, I'm making some glass serving pieces for relatives. I sell them for around $120 each. At the house I'll be at on christmas eve, I'll be giving a piece to everyone- except a close relative who lives in a small house with two small children. their whole house is "childproof" and there are toys everywhere. do i give them one too?
3. fistfullofsteel keeps flirting with me. make him stop.
Over the summer, she asked me if he could stay at my house for a few hours once in a while when she had to work. at first I said okay, then i said i couldn't have him there when no adult was home. (because i came home to a MESS and doors left wide open, cats running off, things broken, mud tracked through the house, etc.). She said ok, and he still would come over "to play" and told her that he stayed outside, although he didn't. I finally had to say that i just can't have him come over at all when i'm not here. at all.
ok. she understood. our friendship was fine.
Last night, she said nobody would be home at her house when the kids got off the bus. for me, this isn't a problem, as my daughter comes home and does her homework, plus my boys are home. she asked if her son could come to my house, just for 20 minutes.
I said i wouldn't be home and she said it would just be 20 minutes. and my boys would be home, right?
yes, i said. he came over and she didn't pick him up until 4:30pm. she ran late. I came home to find he had been in my room chasing the dog, and then in my boys rooms distracting them from THEIR homework. he had a snack at my house, of cereal and milk, which he left out.
so my neighbor thanked me and said it worked out GREAT and said she is probably going to ask me for the same favor in a few days.
how do i say no and still remain friends?
2. For christmas, I'm making some glass serving pieces for relatives. I sell them for around $120 each. At the house I'll be at on christmas eve, I'll be giving a piece to everyone- except a close relative who lives in a small house with two small children. their whole house is "childproof" and there are toys everywhere. do i give them one too?
3. fistfullofsteel keeps flirting with me. make him stop.
