When I was 11 my parents forced a friendship with a 10 year old girl from my neighbourhood - 2 streets away.
This is how it happened - we went to the same church as this girl’s cousins and aunt/uncle who lived about a mile away - think neighbouring area of a provincial city.
one day I and my parents went up to the aunt / uncles / cousins house and I played outside - with cousins and this girl and her brother - we were all the same age - well within 2 years of each other.
my parents were indoors with the other 2 sets of parents. That meeting itself wasn’t bad but I thought that it was just a get together for all of us - I didn’t realise it was a specific thing to get my and the girl together.
about a month later the girl - Anna - turned up at my house asking me to go other cinema. I’ve always hated watching films as I have a short attention span unless it’s a comedy and I didn’t want to go. My grandparents were staying with us and said “that’s nice she’s asked” etc. so I only said yes to the cinema trip cos j was afraid of being criticised if I said no.
the cinema was shit tbh I find films boring. Did age 11 - do now unless it’s comedy.
anyway - a few weeks later 11 year old me was at home with my parents and said m
“I want to do x today” - I can’t for the life of me remember what x was. I can’t really hazard a guess even.
my mum said “no you’re seeing Anna Taylor today”
and thus they forced a friendship between me and this girl that lasted til the end of secondary school.
AIBU to feel angry about this? Growing independence imo is important at 11 and this was being stifled be forcing me with this girl
also though my secondary school years my mum used to guilt me into socialising with Anna saying Anna’s mum had been complaining I wasn’t making an effort with her etc.
AIBU to feel violated? Someone was let into my life that I didn’t even want or need.
Anna fyi was a doctor’s daughter who was very very snobby. Her Mum was sahm.
i was only child of 2 working parents but mum was alcoholic abusive - I’ve literally had to deal with my mums aggressive moods aged 10 - so after mopping up my mum’s shit I found Anna very ‘precious’
AIBU to feel angry that part of my childhood freedom was taken away ?
I feel a friendship was forced on me with no context for it