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Parent lying or dramatising my son pushing her son.

58 replies

confusedlady10 · 26/09/2025 10:37

Long winded to avoid drip feeding so sorry. My son is 5 and very close friends with another boy in his other year 1 class, practically best friends. But for whatever reason, the boy’s mother doesn’t like me. I have tried to be friends with her and hang out, and she would say that we should, but I’d never hear anything of it. And she barley smiles at me at school or talks to me yet talks to the other mums happily although I try my best, so have just given up.

After school they had gone to the park together once or twice with a few other mums at the beginning of reception/preschool and that’s it. We exchanged numbers at the beginning of reception and I had asked our kids to meet up in summer this year, and she told me she would let me know and asked how my summer was going. I responded and asked about hers, to no reply so just left it and stopped trying since.

Since starting year 1 she told me that my son exposed himself to her son according to him and told me this in front of the other mums, so I was in shock and apologised in front of everyone and said I’d address it. I spoke to the school to find out what happened who told me that he pulled down his trousers slightly while sitting on the carpet to expose the back of his boxers and the kids were all laughing and being silly, the child included and that it wasn’t a situation that needed addressing so they didn’t tell me, and that the child didn’t tell them anything in way of a complaint either. (Nothing omitted, their exact words.)

I told my son to apologise anyway to the boy and to avoid awkwardness and no bad feelings with the mum considering they are good friends, which he did (and which made me think she 100% now had a reason to not like me anyway). I’m extremely painfully shy and non-confrontational and still felt a bit embarrassed about what happened in front of the mums but left it at that. My son and her son still play together and are best friends and talk in the playground at drop off and my son talks about him all the time positively, so unless I have been told otherwise, no issues since.

My son is quiet and shy like me which is why they get on as a lot of the other kids can be a bit more loud and boisterous and the mum has seen my son and her son interact in the playground fine and can see what my son is like. The next day after this happened she was incredibly overly smiley and nice to me which was odd and then back to awkward again the next day.

Then I get a message from her recently, telling me that she got a call from the school to say her son was pushed by another kid, banging his head and her son told her it was my son. So I apologise and said I’d get to the bottom of it. I ask the school via class messages why I wasn’t told about this, and they tell me that it was a clear accident and not on purpose so there was no need and dealt with in class. And they said when they spoke to the boy’s mum to inform her (they wouldn’t confirm the child’s name or her name but we know it who it was) they reiterated that it was a clear accident and that she was fully made aware of that because ‘we’ (the teachers) knew that.

So then I message the mum to tell her that the school informed me it was an accident which is why I wasn’t informed, but that regardless I have told my son to be more careful and apologise. She replies to say, ‘aha oh, I was told by teacher (different race teacher) that my son was pushed. Glad to know it was an accident.’ So either she’s dramatised this on purpose or the school are lying which I obviously doubt.

I’d have felt weird telling her what the school told me to call out her lie, and clearly she doesn’t like me hence stirring things up. I’ve invited her to my sons class party in month which also makes things awkward. But now I don’t know how to navigate seeing her at school, thinking to steer clear and have no idea why she keeps doing these things or clearly has an issue with me or my son.

OP posts:
DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 26/09/2025 14:49

I think you are doing OK OP.. At five its very early days and as @OhDear111 says, encourage inviting other kids round and it will also give you time to get to know other mums.

The main thing is that your son, although shy seems to be getting on very well at school and socialising quite a bit. And although the other mum is a bit problematic, in general he seems to get on very well with the other boy. Which is a positive.
I agree about having a quiet word with the teacher. The school knows already, which is helpful.
Just to warn you to look out for the end of Christmas term... they are all throughly tired out and over excited and ready for the holidays.. and need time to wind down a bit.

confusedlady10 · 26/09/2025 14:53

OhDear111 · 26/09/2025 14:27

I do sympathize and not getting many responses is hard. However if everyone does a class party - parents only have so much spare time. It can get out of hand and expensive. As they get a bit older, doing a treat for, say 3, is a lot easier unless he’s mates with 15! Boys probably won’t be. My DDs hardly went to a boy party. They hardly ever had one!

In your shoes I’d invite other dc round to play at the weekend. He will start to name other boys and it could be this one is drama seeking too? Maybe he’s the “queen (king?) bee” of the boys so DS is attracted to him? But you can see what the mum is like! At 5 they do sample friends and cannot always find best fit. I’d be concerned about this friendship so ask school to help him make a wider circle of friends.

The party being costly wasn’t too much of an issue as I had help from my dad and he encouraged me to invite the class for DS sake knowing my son doesn’t have many friends and how shy he is and how painfully shy I am too. I don’t expect the whole class to come but even getting at least 5-10 to come would be nice for my sons sake and he would be crushed if barely anyone turns up.

As for the weekends I only have one week day off during the week and work alternating weekend days every week and the weekends he is with his dad anyway (we co-parent) so finding the time is hard. I will keep trying and try to get the other mums numbers from his class though and message them. Will probably start with the ones who RSVP’d as I’m not in any WhatsApp mum group or anything. Thank you.

OP posts:
OhDear111 · 26/09/2025 17:24

@confusedlady10 A smaller party or outing for a few leads to less disappointment! They generally show up. Shy dc often get a bit overwhelmed with large parties of kids going mad!

Why cannot his dad get involved with having friends to play? Co parenting isn’t picking and choosing! Get him involved!

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confusedlady10 · 26/09/2025 17:51

OhDear111 · 26/09/2025 17:24

@confusedlady10 A smaller party or outing for a few leads to less disappointment! They generally show up. Shy dc often get a bit overwhelmed with large parties of kids going mad!

Why cannot his dad get involved with having friends to play? Co parenting isn’t picking and choosing! Get him involved!

He is, but he lives 2 hrs away. My son goes to church with his dad and step-mum (I’m not religious) so he has friends from the church and a few from his dads friends I believe. His dad is very active and a good dad, but as I have him majority in the week and we alternate holidays it’s not so easy on my end and we live far from eachother.

The reason I invited the class is because my son is mainly friends with this child (who’s mum clearly doesn’t like me so doubt she will even come and if she does, may start drama) and another child who is coming and his mum has already RSVP’d. He has a few friends outside of school so all together so far a few are coming but just in case, I invited the class to make up numbers.

The mums are a bit awkward and to themselves and don’t really smile much to me or talk apart from the ones in the their clique(s) so, many haven’t RSVP’d or say they will let me know. I don’t hang around the gates due to being shy and having to rush home for work and don’t walk to school like them so haven’t been able to develop big friendships but have tried here and there to talk to them and be friendly.

As my son is shy like me I assumed that only inviting a few means not many would turn up so invited in mass numbers just in case. My son loves hanging with his class and would love for everyone to come so I’m hoping the more the better.

Tbh, the class party idea wasn’t something I wanted anyway (as it is overwhelming for me too) but my dad moaned at me for being awkward and shy around the mums and not making friends at the gates and pushed for the class to come and wants my son to have proper friendships outside of school with his classmates aside from the few and the ones he already is friends with not from school and for me to help him come out of his shell so I agreed. We shall see who turns up anyway and hopefully it brings me a bit closer together with those who come, and next year I’ll probably stick to 6 ish kids. Thank you!

OP posts:
cabbageking · 26/09/2025 17:57

Let the school deal with it and accept their decision.

Do not engage with her; go via the school

aWeeCornishPastie · 26/09/2025 17:59

Stop being so nice to her

FuzzyWolf · 26/09/2025 19:00

confusedlady10 · 26/09/2025 14:01

Wish I was that bold! Will get there!

I wouldn’t have been when my youngest was that age. Clearly time had made me much less inclined to put up with such things from other parents at school especially since over the years, you see how some parents really are just like that. Thankfully it was only ever once with my child but the mother had hardened me with her over the years because she tended to publicly message on the class WhatsApp group.

OhDear111 · 26/09/2025 19:02

So you are the resident parent. Co parenting is a bit of a stretch! He does a few nice bits!

Yes, see who comes and make a huge effort with them. I do know it’s not easy but you don’t want awkward mums! Just try and help DS expand friendships.

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