I already know that this will come out all wrong, and I will invariably piss someone off with this, but I need to just tell someone else what I'm feeling.
I just dropped DS (7) off at a school friend's house for a birthday party. He is attending this friend's family birthday party and then sleeping over. Both boys have been excited about this, as DS has never been to this friend's house before. The mum and I are on friendly terms; it's a small school, so we've chatted loads on the playground, at birthday parties, etc. She seems really lovely, and I know her life isn't easy...she is a single mum to three kids, my DS's friend is the eldest and she then has two girls who have lots of medical issues.
Anyway, they live on a council estate, and thier house is unlike any that DS has ever seen...not in the greatest area and not as tidy as most of his other friends' houses. I have absolutely no concerns for his safety or anything like that...but I could see that he was a bit uncomfortable when we went in. I am now feeling uncomfortable, but only because I know he felt uneasy and a bit out of his comfort zone. I think it's important for him to see that people don't always live the same, and that friendship is certainly more than where someone lives! Is that unreasonable? I hate to burst the middle class bubble he's been exposed to, but surely he's old enough to be able to appreciate differences in other people's situtations?