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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

8 year old has to stay in to study

160 replies

Swimmingwithoutfloats · 19/06/2025 15:28

My Dd, 7 has a best friend on the road who she loves to play with. They often play together some weekends and occasionally in the evenings in summer.
He hasn’t been able to play out at our house or his due to tests at school.
Every time my Dd has knocked on, he’s said he has to stay in because there are tests at school at the moment and he has to do work. He loves very sad
Its been beautiful weather and Dd and another friend on the street have invited him for bike rides or to play on the trampoline or to swim in the pool and he isn’t allowed.
He stays fairly late at school, then goes to clubs/football etc, comes home, does homework and goes to bed.

Often at the weekend, he says he can’t play and sits in doing video games

Aibu to wonder why he can’t just play with his friends and be a child?

OP posts:
Holluschickie · 19/06/2025 15:42

It's not your business.

Ddakji · 19/06/2025 15:41

If he can’t play out he can’t. You should stop your DD from knocking for him. His parents clearly want something different for him which is their prerogative.

pottylolly · 19/06/2025 15:40

11+ / private school prep starts at 8 so it’s probably true.

WhereHasMyPlanetGone · 19/06/2025 15:39

Maybe they just don’t want him playing with your child? Who knows.

MageQueen · 19/06/2025 15:39

It might well be that thi sis an exuse and that really, he doesn't like to play out as much.

It could also be true. DD has a friend from school whose parents have quite strict expectations for what she can do during the week/on weekends, including a lot of home learning and extra tutoring.

It is what it is. I'd tell your DD that they should ask, but accept that his life is a bit different to theirs and so hemight not play as often.

MakingPlans2025 · 19/06/2025 15:37

None of your business really is it?

SixteenClovesOfGarlic · 19/06/2025 15:35

You wrote that he's not allowed, and that he can't play outside because he's playing his video games instead. It's him and his parents choice.

TheNightSurgeon · 19/06/2025 15:32

There could be any number of things going on that you aren't privy to, maybe the parents don't want him playing out ,maybe he's overwhelmed after school and clubs, maybe he has health issues.

lnks · 19/06/2025 15:30

You have no idea what is going on in someone else’s life.
Edited to add, him looking sad doesn’t necessarily mean that the reason is because he is not playing out

Swimmingwithoutfloats · 19/06/2025 15:29

*Looks very sad

OP posts: