Do you help or at least offer???

[BrightSparkles]

Yep, I'd start packing things away / cleaning, unless they said it was okay, at which point I would double check
I would expect the same in return, or at least an offer (even if you are going to say no, it's still nice to know someone is willing to help)
From the belief that you treat others as you wish to be treated

I feel the same way... I like at least to have the option to say no.

If you are hosting it, maybe you could try taking the initiative? When it is coming to an end and people are getting ready to start going, get up and say " OK everyone, lets all help tidy the toys away." You can direct this at the children, but loud enough and clear enough that the adults pick up on it too. If they still don't help, just say quietly to them "Oh, do you mind picking up x, y, z before you go?" Most adults wouldn't have any problem with that.

I'll give it a go

I've gotten to the point that it depends on where I am as to if I bother.

I've always been one to help out - we don't go to MG, but at family, etc. I do dishes, clear tables, tidy toys, etc. But when the people I help out don't bother, and leave me with a bomb of a household (we keep tidy over here) and a sink full of dishes, I stopped doing it when I went to their place.

It annoys me too because the people I'm talking about all know that I keep things tidy, yet they never even offer a hand. I have the same thing with bringing a plate. I never ever ask anyone to bring anything, but am always told what to bring, specifically, and it's usually an expensive dish too.

Maybe I should try that at thier house. Then again..my conscience would get the better of me. I totally get you on the food thing too!

We have playgroup at a local church so we all pitch in and pack up and take turns to vacc and sweep. It's done very fast when everyone pitches in.

We do this at playgroup too!

[Just Me]

I always try and pick up at least what my kids have played with - I usually give them one tidy up job to do too before we leave - like 'DD1 can you put all the dress ups away in that box?' and I find it works well for us.

I also try and sweep/wipe up after my kids have had something to eat, if they have made a huge mess on the floor. It is easier for me to clean it up after my kids have finished eating for the person whose home it is to have to have to clean it up once it is walked all over the house.

I have friends that come here and TBH, I would prefer some of them didn't 'help'. It is so half hearted, unenthusiastically and sloppily done that I just tell them not to bother. I don't really appreciate all the toys being thrown away wherever, especially by people who know that different toys belong in different boxes - like all the duplo goes together but they throw it in whatever box is just lying around the place so I end up with duplo in 10 different places. I would rather do it myself because it is less effort than having to go and sort all the bits later.

[Miss.September]

Maybe I should try that at thier house. Then again..my conscience would get the better of me. I totally get you on the food thing too!

It's tough when you do it the first time, but the next time they come and don't help you, it feels a lot better

[OceanPrincess]

We have our MG at different houses, and sometimes people offer to help pack up (or start to anyway), and sometimes no one does. When they come to my place, I expect the mess, but I don't mind if they help pack up or not. I try and remember to offer to tidy up most times, but if DS has started getting crabby and it's clear he just wants to go, well then we just go. And you know, quite often when I offer to tidy up, or start doing it - I get told, "Oh don't worry about that".
When the mess is at my house, I don't mind - it doesn't take long to tidy up anyway, and it sure beats doing the dishes or scrubbing the toilet, lol.

Yeah that's generally how ours work too... TBH I've never really been too fussed about it, often my DD makes the most mess anyway!

But I do go to two playgroups that are in halls and everyone is expected to help pack up - its a bit different.

[Rainbow_Mumma]

i always make my kids pack up the toys before we leave someones house its just the right thing to do in my opinion. like my inlaws were fixing there paddocks fences which are right next door to us and mil brought over lunch for them used our plates and they all just left them everywhere that annoyed the hell out of me!
at my own house im a bit different with kids and toys i dont mind if others dont clean up toys that kids have played with coz my kids will more then likely empty the whole toy box again before the get out of the door

[CrazyLady]

I make a game of packing up with DD and she likes to help so i ask her to pick up toys and I make sure she does put them away. At my playgroup we all pitch in at the end to make sure it's clean for the next group as we expect it to be for us. Although a bit peeved because someone *****ed about it