AIBUs from parents of fictional children

[ProudAS]

AIBU to be concerned about what DCs are up to? Since we moved to Yorkshire they've been hanging around the railway line most days and not made friends with the local children.

DS came home with a bag of coal which he said was "mined" and whilst he looked like he'd been down a coal mine I suspect it was stolen.

And then there's the station porter who seems to be getting very friendly with them - he's a nice man by all accounts but I can't help feeling suspicious.

WIBU to stop my kids from hanging around with the young farmer over the way? Not that i think he's up to anything dodgy, he's just a bit of a saddo vintage tractor enthusiast with a hobby farm.....but i'd quite like to have a crack at him myself....keep offering him coffee but he'd rather share lemonade with the kids instead...is he quite normal?

AIBU to be worried about my elderly friend, Andy? He won't wear anything except a blue and white striped babygro and matching hat, despite being rather elderly. He spends his time hanging around jumping in and out of a basket with a scruffy teddy bear and an elderly woman who has long golden plaits and keeps repeating the same song about Saturday nights.

That's a great idea Lurcio. I think a study tour to the UK will help DS with his personal and professional growth and give us a bit of space from his moodiness and indecisiveness.
Deep red is a good idea- I want to set the arras off as a feature but show that it is a separate space IYSWIM?

Pissing myself at the thought of a "feature arras."

Saffro, I remember an earlier thread of yours (the one about him getting all broken up about the death of a dodgy family friend - some clown or other) and, TBH, your DS sounded like a bit of a Mummy's boys. I think he needs to get some other interests outside of the home - have you considered getting him involved in armature dramatics?

Ok, this might be long, sorry in advance.

After DH died a few years ago (alcoholism with complications), both my children had to leave school and get jobs. DD is very academic (poss G&T), and was disappointed to leave, but is now making good money - DS never really liked school and has flourished in the work environment, bringing home a good income. They're now 15 and 16 - and we could afford for ONE of them to return to (state) school.

DD is desparate to go back: DS wants to stay working and is angry at the idea of going back to school.

Added to this (sorry - I did say it was complicated) I have always loved DS much more than DD, although vowed never to show this when he was born. Pretty confident I succeeded - I had a lovely bonding moment with DD when in labour with DD2, when, although I didn't deny it is DS who is generally 'a comfort to me', at that moment she sort of was. The fact that I've always loved DS more, whilst DD was closer to dead dad, makes things rather more difficult.

Anyway - WIBU to send school-hating DS back to school, precisely on the grounds that he doesn't want to, but academic DD will, somehow, 'find a way' to finish her education?

AIBU to interfere? To give you the situation, I have been working as a nanny for a lovely, well-heeled family here in Italy since the birth of their daughter nearly 14 years ago. She is a delightful, sunny little creature and I love her as if she were my own.

Unfortunately she has recently caught the eye of a bad lad from a disreputable family who live on the other side of town. In fact one evening I spotted the boy lurking down on the street below our property, perving up at my girl who was wandering around up on the terrace. Even though it was pitch black I am sure I heard him wittering on about seeing the sun rise when he looked at her (does this mean he?s doing drugs?) My young mistress has only just hit puberty and can be slightly flighty and impressionable but I am hopeful this just a harmless bit of flirtation. Whilst I am uneasy about interfering in young love, I can?t help thinking this could get messy. Any advice would be gratefully received.

AIBU to consider jacking in my new job after just a few months? I'm a history teacher and managed to land a job as a school principal. It's a lovely old girls' boarding school in Austria and the pupils are extremely well behaved - no interest in smoking, drinking or the opposite sex as far as I can see. They are also very polite and never give lip or answer back.

So what's the problem? I hear you ask. Nice cushy number with lovely scenery thrown in.

Well, yes, that's exactly what I thought and why I accepted the job. And indeed the view from my office window is just beautiful. But there's this very weird past pupil who lives next door to the school and, well, to put it frankly she's never off the bloody premises. She's forever hanging around interfering, giving unasked for advice and even expecting me to reveal confidential details about their personal lives for her to mull over. The absolute cheek! She's also constantly pestering new girls to go and visit her for English tea. I mean, they get little enough free time as it is and I'm sure they can find better things to do than have boring old afternoon tea with some weirdo.
Apparently her older sister was a founding member of the school but that was yonks ago. She doesn't even live in Europe anymore and never comes near the place. But this past pupil seems to think they still own the place.
I used to think maybe she was a bit lonely but apparently she has about 30 kids of her own, a husband who's a local doctor, and a successful career as a children's author.
I've made a few discreet enquires in the village and apparently she's regarded locally as a bit of a basket case. This doctor husband (who's years older than her) was, it would seem, perving after her when she was just a kid and got her down the aisle and pregnant with triplets as soon as she'd left school. It's generally believed this stunted her emotional development and she still thinks she's about sixteen and has never really moved on and broadened her horizons.
AIBU to be considering hightailling it back to England to the local comp. where all I'd have to worry about are truants, ASBOs and underage drinking behind the bikesheds? Or should I stick it out and try and rid the school of this poor, demented, tortured creature?

Oops, I'd better go. She's just peered through my window and now she's heading for the main door.

Apparently DS contacted the local zoo and asked them 'for a pet'.

He told me this only after a fucking GIRAFFE appeared on the driveway.

AIBU to send it back and get a puppy instead?

Wibu to stop my daughter attending the prom?
She's been getting in to trouble at school, and damaged the lights in the shower when she got hysterical after her period.
Now she seems to be fitting in better and a really nice guy has asked her to go with him.

I'm concerned but what could possibly go wrong?

Arabesque that sounds awful. I will soon be retiring from my current position as headmistress of a girls' boarding school in Cornwall and would be happy to recommend you for the job if you like?

The scenery around here is lovely and we even have a swimming pool cut out of the rocks for the girls' to enjoy. Like your pupils, my gals are very well behaved when it comes to drink and drugs and the opposite sex and would far prefer to be outside playing hockey.

They can be a bit snobby at times and tend to look down on anyone who doesn't speak like the Queen. They are also a bit xenophobic and give our French teacher a terrible time. And I have to say there is a bit of a bullying problem with some of the more popular pupils. Nice, old fashioned type bullying, I hasten to add, none of that cyber stuff... but still .

Anyway, if you're interested pm me. I have bought an English bar in Magaluf and will be leaving here after Christmas to get ready for the tourist season. That should give you plenty of time to work out your notice.

Alternatively, Arabesque, you might like to consider joining the staff at our co-ed boarding school in the North of Scotland (I think). Parents and former pupils are not generally able to visit, as the location of the place is heavily protected for security reasons. Pupils usually arrive by the school train (we did have a couple who made their way here by car once, but that was a one-off). We have rather an unusual curriculum and most of our teachers are accomplished practitioners in the school's specialism (think Performing Arts - but a bit more off the wall). However, we do like our pupils to learn something about the wider world so we have an optional subject which can be taught by a Muggle. Any good to you?

Thanks so much guys but I've just accepted a position as head of a school back in England. The current headmistress is leaving at the request of Her Majesty, apparently (maybe being groomed as a Governess for Prince George?).

The school sounds great. Apparently the students are very self sufficient and many of them go on to have careers in business. The sixth formers cant wait to leave the place so there is no problem with past pupils hanging around.

I can't understand why they've offered me the job without an interview. I'm sure there would be loads of people interested in working at this school. It's called St Trinian's. Have either of you heard of it?

Oh, you've already got a job Arabesque - shame. I'd just heard of one for a PE teacher coming up at a boys's school in the home counties. Apparently there was some unfortunate incident with the previous sports teacher shooting one of the pupils (some weird, geometrical name, escapes me now) in the foot with a starter's pistol. Very unfortunate, school tried to hush it up, but the wound turned gangrenous and the poor lad died. So they've had to let their PE teacher go and are looking for a new one at short notice.

Would that be a Leading School, a First Rate School, a Good School or a "School" Lurcio?

AIBU to complain to the GMC?

My daughter Polly has a Dolly who is very ill indeed and apparently the Gp doesn't do home visits any more. I am appalled.

I think my dh is hankering after his ex. I'm living in what was their home and the place is a bloody shrine to her. Even the housekeeper is obsessed.
DH has suggested throwing a party soon. Fancy dress. Housekeeper suggested me copying a costume from one of the portraits in the gallery. What would you do?

originalsteamintnit sounds to me as if you have already made up your mind, just be aware that this may well be the point of no return for your relationship w your dd. I thought you had remarried, does your new dh not support dd in returning to school?

WIBU to have my son genetically engineered? He's falling behind his peers and can't tell a cat from a tree He's our only son and we do so want him to be successful and accomplished - if we have him re-sequenced, he could go on to do anything! He could become an interstellar doctor in far flung reaches of the universe!

I know sometimes it goes wrong and he could end up stuck in an institute, or banned from all sorts of jobs if people find out, and we're condemning him to a life of lying to his peers and superiors. We're not trying to start another Eugenics war, we just want him to be happy and a smug, arrogant twit

Thalia,I don't think I get remarried until the end, do I? Though when I do, the children do call him dad straightaway I think. God, I'm rubbish.

AIBU to be concerned about DN? He has always shown a very proper degree of pride in his lineage, and I had fully expected him to offer for my own dd when she reached adulthood. However since visiting that appalling friend of his who made all his money in trade, he seems to be obsessed with a bluestocking with no serious financial expectations and a perfectly dreadful family - mother who is frankly common and a younger sister who eloped with a soldier!

What can I do to prejudice him against her?

My teenage DS lives with me aboard the ship I am serving on. He is a child prodigy who seems to save the ship from some predicament every single week.

However he is very, very smug and annoying and wears really revolting jumpers. WIBU to dump him at the nearest base and only have him back aboard when he is done with the Academy? I think I would have my captain's support on this as he is uncomfortable with having children on the ship.