For thinking it may be one thing too much for my poor friend?

[Wolfie]

I have a friend staying from London (she's in the bath - not ignoring her) - she's having an emotional crisis with her busy city job and hectic social life , and has come to Talk Things Through.

She likes my children, but is a little bit squeamish of kids in general. My dd1 has picked up on this, and on my friends revulsion of her chicken pox covered body - which is it think why she presented her with a shoe box with a small scab in and told her it was a present. {friend went pale} Dd2 keeps running at her with the potty to show off every time she uses it {friend visibly wretched at this mornings poo}

Washed my hair today, and found...nits! Oh dear. Nitty gritted myself thoroughly, and serrupticiously examined dds.

Do i tell, or hope that i've got them in time? She'll freak, honestly.

Well, dd couldn't ride her bike without stablisers, obviously. She got very angry about it, and refused to push her bike home, and cried. I refused to carry the bike, and said we'd leave it behind for someone who would love it enough to carry it home, so she cried more, but wheeled it at a snails pace, while wailing. Friend walked a fair distance ahead, then nipped off to the shop and bought wine.

She'd given up smoking as well as drinking. She's just popped back to the shop to buy herself cigarrettes. Something tells me we're not helping her.

Not even told her about the nits yet! She'll probably pop back out to score some crack cocaine.

Oh my goodness I'm sure you're friend is perfectly lovely, but she does sound like hard work!

Well tell her to buy vodka instead of wine then! Didn't someone recommend it for killing headlice yesterday

Look, look at me, biting it back, but NO I can't here it comes: I told you so. Was not a good idea Boco, the bike, the friend the now-off stabilizers.
She's on the home stretch now though, they'll go to bed and she'll smoke her cigarettes and start feeling better.

You have to tell her. I'd be furious if i got them and wasn't told. She's your friend for goodness sake! If she was someone you didn't like or care about, completely different story but don't do this to your friend. It's just...mean!

You need to let her know so she can shampoo. Its hard not to find it all a bit amusing though isn't it? I think it shows how we all mature as mothers that none of that is a big deal anymore.

acquasea - no it's not. It's mindful of her friends delicate emotional state, and of the fact that this isn't a particularly successful trip so far.
Avoid the issue until the last minute I say, she'll probably not get them, why worry her. She's got great shoes and a lot on her mind at the moment. I like her. I'm sticking up for her. I'd never be mean to Friend.

Oh aqueasier, i am her friend, i do care very much - i just know that she's feeling delicate about her life, and queasy about my small children, and i'm really hoping i can get away with not telling her and her not getting them. You know if you think you've got them you start itching anyway, whether or not you've got them - she will be so horrified, really

I know i was totally like her before i had children, i'd find my sils children pretty grim to be around, all the weeing and sicking and runny noses and noise and demanding and crying. It can't be easy - I love them so it's fine, but if they weren't mine, i might not want to touch their scabs or take home their nits.

so did you tell her?

I agree with a100times.

No surprise there then, lol.

She's just gone home. And i didn't tell her.

I do feel ashamed, but i'm just hoping that she doesn't get them, i did feel a lot of guilt, but there was no right time to broach the subject.

I made her come to a 3 year olds birthday party today, where the birthday boy howled all through the party and a 5 year old kicked a football into her face.

With or without the nits, she's returning to her London life with new found enthusiasm and trembling relief, so at least we helped a little.

Boco, you always make me laugh

oh dear

Ah, you did her a good turn.

And she probably didn't get close enough to pick the little blighters up.

Nits like really clean hair, don't they

And she's currently 'in the bath ...'

What a dilemma!!

I think its a myth that they only like clean hair

Let's hope so!

ditto hilarious you'll never know now without giving the game away

If she has them, she will certainly let me know!

lol @ 'enthusiasm and trembling relief'. Good decision Boco.

I haven't laughed so much in ages! You should send the scab-in-a-box story off to Dawn French or someone for use as a sketch (mind you get commission though!)

could ahve been worse.. in my house thy would have been wearing her lovely clippy cloppy shoes

Well dd2 (2) did put her giant sunglasses on and pretend to be a fly

She needs to get back to her busy city life and let you dral with your stuff!!!!! If she's a friend she'd understand that your priorities have changed and her crisis will just have to wait!!!!
When your kids get older and you have time for her, maybe you'll still be friends