AIBU to want to stay out of this?

[BeautifulBlondePineapple]

I have a friend (let's call her Sheila). Her DCs are the same age as my DCs and we've become friendly over the past few years. Our kids play together, Sheila & I have been out for nights out together, our DHs go to the pub occasionally and our families have got together more than once for a barbecue.

Sheila lives next door to Susan. Susan has DCs pretty much the same ages as our DCs. They all go to the same school. Sheila & her husband (James) do not like Susan's husband (Stewart). I don't know the background of why they don't like him, but things have happened in the past apparently and Sheila has been fairly vocal in her dislike of him.

Susan & Stewart have recently stopped speaking to & are completely avoiding Sheila & James. They have also told their kids not to play with Sheila & James' kids. Sheila is really stressed about it all and keeps talking to me about it.

I do want to support Sheila as she does get very wound up & upset about things, but I don't want to get dragged into it all....especially as Susan & I have always got on well and I have never even met James!

I don't want to take sides here - I don't want to get involved! What can I do?

If you dont want to get involved then dont......or ask Sheila to actually tell you the whole story.....swinging gone wrong???

I dunno, I hate getting dragged into anything like this, my answer is usually "I'm not saying a word" which usually works!

Why do anything? Just carry on living normally, talking/listening to both of them if they mention it, as you would on any other subject.

If she gets annoyed with you for not joining the boycott she isn't really your friend anyway.

Ugh, I hate petty politics like this. Tell Sheila to grow the fuck up and that you don't want to hear her slagging off someone that you consider a friend. Tell her that the playground was a long time ago and that this sort of shit is of no interest to you and shouldn't be of interest to any mature and reasonable person.

Well I wouldn't bother about some cow who was bitching about my dp to all and sundry, neither would I want my kid playing with theirs or in their house because the bitch would then start bitching/lying about them, people like your friend are trouble, sounds like she got caught spreading nasty rumours and is now being avoided like the plague. Which is a peaceful response.