Summer is here and many of us are preparing our homes for coming house guests and visitors.

If you have children, it is a good idea to also prepare them for sharing their home with others, especially if the guests will be staying overnight.

Children often become comfortable with their routines and may not adjust well to changes.

Before your visitors arrive, take the time to discuss the arrangements with your children and to review good etiquette and behaviour. Some topics to discuss include:

Sharing and making compromises

Having a houseguest usually requires adjustments and compromises. Children may have to give up their bedroom to Grandma or share their bedroom with a visiting cousin. Make sure they understand that the arrangement is temporary and that their cooperation is appreciated.

If other children will be visiting, talk to your children about sharing their toys, but do allow for some exceptions. For example, if they have a special belonging, they may choose to put it away during the visit so it doesn’t get broken or harmed.

Including others and inviting others to play

Children often forget to consider how others might be feeling and, although they might not intentionally leave them out of activities, they may not specifically invite them to play. The visiting children may feel shy or nervous when they arrive and may need some encouragement to participate.

If your children do not know the visiting children well, talk to them about the coming visitors. Show them pictures and tell them about some of the activities they like, things they have done, and suggest ways your child might help their guests to feel welcome.

Being considerate and tolerating other’s activities

Remind your child that different people do things differently and have different likes and dislikes.

When people are visiting, the routines your child is used to may be disrupted and they may be asked to participate in activities or routines that are new to them. Encourage them to keep their minds open and try new things. They just might discover something new that they really enjoy.

We hope this helps to make your guests feel welcome and your children feel comfortable.