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should I talk to my friend about her parenting.

4 replies

Brunchorlunch · 02/03/2025 08:56

lifelong close friend.

a few years ago she divorced and now has custody of her son aged 15 and daughter aged 10.

she works in media. very successful career. she lives a fashionable lifestyle full of parties, travel, glamorous events.

her son is a lovely, sociable, funny, charismatic boy. she adores him and treats him like an adult best friend. she allows his gf to sleepover and has since early year 9. she allows him to have house parties and buys alcohol for those parties. after one party she found drugs in the house and said with no anger “silly boys” then did little else except tell them how to be safe when high. she takes him to festivals and parties with large groups of his friends and lets them run free with no supervision.

her son and my son were offered weed. they said no. he told my son that he hates the stuff but never to tell his mum he turned it down as she would be shocked about him being so square.

he told my son he never sees his mum alone, they always have friends round, or go to parties and he misses that.

he idolises his mum. he is so proud of her career and her fashion sense and her large circle of glam friends so it’s not that he isn’t close to her. but I feel she needs to know that he’s literally forcing himself to live a fast paced party lifestyle to impress her and he misses quiet family time. at the same time he is struggling academically maybe because he’s living the life of an 18 year old gap year student.

her daughter is largely not mentioned, not included in stuff due to her age, left with babysitters during all these parties and festivals she takes her son to. her daughter is very studious and not sociable and I am not sure my friend clicks with her and this is really obvious when I’m with them for a long period.

should I talk to her about this? nobody else will as she has no extended family and no real contact with her ex. I’m probably the most steady presence in her life. she is a lovely well intentioned person who I think might reflect if told all this. but I do accept it’s not really any of my business.

OP posts:
Cutecatty · 02/03/2025 08:58

No

BabaYagasLittleSister · 02/03/2025 09:02

Maybe you could make a few casual suggestions here and there, but I don't think you should sit her down or have a big conversation about it.

Coffeeishot · 02/03/2025 09:03

She sounds like Eddy from Abfab ! she won't listen she thinks she's the young cool mum who Is her kids friend well her sons friend she will be wanting to go clubbing/ hang out with them when they are young adults it's not going to imo end well although, she might turn up for her daughter when she wants some freedom as a teenager and mum will just do all the parties and booze again, quite sad really the poor kids.

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TaraRhu · 02/03/2025 09:37

She's probably lonely and insecure hence not being able to be alone. Sad thing is he will distance himself from her if this keeps going. Maybe that's what she needs to see?

Could you offer to have some low key dinners at yours with just her and the kids? Something some with a movie afterwards. Not glam ! Maybe show her that these sorts of things are enjoyable for kids?

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