Why don't we just have the whole neighborhood over?

John is now in school and he is making new friends. I'm proud of him. I guess I'm being overprotective but I really don't like when kids just show up and want to play. I think I have gotten used to the wild brothers down the street although I prefer just the boy that is in John's class. I definitely don't mind the one boy across the street who comes to our house to catch the bus. Today my biggest fear had come true. I know this sounds un-neighborly of me but the boy across the street (he is a year older than John) that just moved in had his older brother bring him over to play with John. The parents have rented the house across the street for the last two or three years unsuccessfully. They decided now that they would live in this house. Every time this boy and his 3 brothers were over they were bored and would be up to no good. I didn't know really how to react because John probably could have used some company but I said it was fine but we were eating in a half an hour so John would likely be coming in soon. I overheard the boy telling John he could come over to his house later. That is fine but I don't think the parents would have a clue that John was invited over and again - I really don't want John around this kid because I don't trust him. When dinner was ready I told him he needed to go home and that I would watch him cross the street. I told him to go when the traffic was clear and then headed to the house. I didn't realize he didn't go - not sure why - but his older brother who "dropped him off" made sure he got across. It almost appeared that older brother was hanging out in the driveway until I told John to come in - that was good because I was listening but not watching them closely. When I was telling this boy to go home - he kept calling John "dude" and I did not like the snot-ass look he was giving me. I just can not believe that other parents would let their kids go over to someone else's house (especially at John's age) without talking to the parent first. I've decided I'd rather have John where I can see him so I know what is going on and the first kid that doesn't follow the house rules is going to be tossed (just like from a baseball game). If there was a good thing in this whole thing this afternoon was James and Patrick were napping and when they were up they were fine with staying inside and watching the boys play out the window. Tommy was entertaining himself well enough too that I could get dinner ready for me and the boys. This is something new that I hope I can accept and let John grow socially.