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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU? Don't want friends DD to visit!

254 replies

NameChangeNameChange5 · 18/09/2018 16:23

I have a lovely friend who is very kind and always been there for me.

My DD and hers both attended the same nursery and became friends due to the fact we met up frequently out with nursery. It became apparent that this friendship was quite detrimental to my DD. This is something that her nursery teacher also advised me of and the nursery put a recommendation for them to be put in separate classes at school.

My friend knows nothing about any of this and she loves them being friends. This is likely because my DD is on the whole, quite well behaved. The reality is that her DD isn't.

I have a younger DD who is 2 and she can't bear to be around my friends DD, she lifts her, pokes & prods her and doesn't give her any space whatsoever even when I ask her to stop or when younger DD gets upset.

When her DD has been at my house, she has broken many things in the short visits. My DD and her DD are just very different in nature and my DD had become a bit of a bully victim and wasn't getting any space at nursery to make any other friends. Now that she's at school, she's been keeping her distance at play times but obviously it's early days with school and so she hasn't made any other strong friendships yet.

Basically, I invited my friend over this weekend for some food, wine & maybe watch a movie. Anyway, at the school when I picked up DD, friends DD ran over saying "I'm coming to your house this weekend". Then friend said "oh sorry, she's decided she's coming along too!" and then smiled. Then as we walked along her DD proceeded to say "and I can sleep over". Basically I really don't want this to happen. I'm worried that by having her spend time with DD now, she'll get dragged back into that friendship again. I feel as though I've been bulldozed into something here. I also don't want to have her to sleep over due to her behaviour at times and how she upsets my younger DD. How do I get out of this? AIBU to protect my own DD's needs here? I don't want to fall out with my friend but I just feel really stuck! Please help.

OP posts:
Thehappygardener · 19/09/2018 21:49

Well done, Namechange..., , it was really the only thing to do 🌺

DisappearHere1234 · 19/09/2018 22:08

Why lie, just say you've had a change of mind about the sleepover, you fancied a child-free night with a bottle of vino without having to chase kids up and down the stairs all night. Much better you be honest than make up a flakey excuse about a cold.
I can completely relate to your situation though. It sounds very similar to my DD and friend's daughter. Overbearing and socially intense with no concept of personal space. As a 3/4 year old my DD would say she was 'too much' and also hide her toys and became quite anxious at the mention of playdates. However the mum friendship is very important to me and I could see her DD was still learning and was not intrinsically bad.
I persevered as didn't want to exclude my friend's DD while she's still young, and I also wanted my DD to learn how to deal with different people and situations. I found meeting in neutral places helps, as well as giving tasked activities. I 'prepped' DD before visits - she knew how to say no, to tell her friend how she didn't like certain behaviours and that she could take some time out. Now they are 6, friends DD has calmed down massively and DD enjoys having her to play and they've actually got a lot in common.

Kate0902900908 · 19/09/2018 22:54

As a close friend you should speak to her and explain. I would tell her that as your children have different personalities and spend a lot of time together at school and seeing each other out of school its having a negative effect on your daughter.
You have to be truthful and be open about her daughters behaviours. Explain that you love her daughter and you want them to remain friends but for a time maybe they shouldn’t spend as much time together.
Also I would address her poking and prodding your other daughter - that is not acceptable and as a mother she should know.

GreenTulips · 19/09/2018 23:21

You have to be truthful and be open about her daughters behaviours

Like that would go down well!!

Doesntlooklikeanythingtome · 20/09/2018 06:16

FFS cool the friendship with this lady, she’s taking advantage. Have some balls and cancel and avoid. Teach your child how to stand up for themselves. Too much humming and haaaing about it. Cancel and leave it.

Angrybird345 · 20/09/2018 07:31

FFS, grow a pair! If your dd doesn't want her over, listen to that! Just cancel, you CAN do this. You don't owe your fiend or the dd anything. Just make a decision and stick with it without mithering so much!

QueenOfMyWorld · 20/09/2018 07:38

So originally your friend thought she could come over,go home and you look after her daughter til the next morning? I'd have cancelled for that alone OP

BobLemon · 20/09/2018 08:06

Just some Flowers for you. This is the sort of shit I’d walk straight into myself. You’ve got my sympathies.

Mummyoflittledragon · 20/09/2018 08:53

You’ve been too soft and not had good boundaries with the children and your friend. I get it. I used to be the same.

The way you are handling it works for now and as you say you now can create a game plan for next time.

I would speak to the school about the two children ambushing your dd. She needs to feel safe especially at school especially from an older child. Your dd was put in a different class for good reason.

Your friends children by the sound of it have been taught to be very forward and left to make decisions beyond their age. It sounds as if you have a very different approach to parenting. As a result they probably don’t think they’ve done anything wrong because but it must feel very intimidating for your dd.

NameChangeNameChange5 · 20/09/2018 09:21

I would speak to the school about the two children ambushing your dd. She needs to feel safe especially at school especially from an older child. Your dd was put in a different class for good reason.

I was wondering about whether I should do this. I know friends kids have probably meant nothing by it but it really doesn't seem fair for her to have to deal with being cornered like that Sad

OP posts:
Orangeblossom1976 · 20/09/2018 09:24

Cancel and then invite friend out on her own

Mummyoflittledragon · 20/09/2018 09:29

As I said, in your place I would do it. Sooner rather than later as they’re all little and will forget about the conversation. The school won’t necessarily speak to the other children but your dd will know the teachers have her back and she will be told who to speak to in future if it happens again. I had issues with my dd as well. The most important thing is that a child feels listened to.

RangeRider · 20/09/2018 09:34

The only thing you're really doing wrong OP is trying not to hurt people's feelings, and that's good. It's just that here it's not working because DD risked having her feelings sidelined for friend's and friend's daughter's. Ongoing just keep the meet-ups to adults only and if friend tries making arrangements for the kids you can say 'I get the impression they're not getting on as well at the moment so best leave it until they are' and make a jokey comment about how fickle children's friendships are.

Feelthethunder · 20/09/2018 10:05

Maybe say this

Hey, would it be possible if it was just you and I this weekend? I hadn’t really intended on having the children around as I was just wanting a bit of adult time”

The sleepover idea is rude as it would be up to you to look after the children whilst she saunters off home and gets a nice sleep in.

Wetwashing00 · 20/09/2018 11:22

It’s not about being a perfect parent,
It’s about asking for advice, ignoring advice given and doing the one thing everyone said you shouldn’t.

I find it quite sad that you cannot say what you really want to a ‘friend’ and will sacrifice your DD happiness to keep your friend happy.
Why are you afraid of offending this woman so much? If she’s any type
If friend she will understand just wanting adults time on a Saturday. Maybe be a bit miffed that you had told her DD yes to sleepover then backtracked but you need to let her know that it’s not ok for her kid to put you on the spot.

Dotty1969 · 20/09/2018 14:49

I've read the thread.
You just either tell her that sorry, you should have said sooner but it's adults only
or
just cancel
It all seems SOOO over thought!!

If she's a friend, she should understand and respect your decision!

TommyJoesMummy · 20/09/2018 15:43

Good God, why are you asking what to do and then picking to ignore the main answer, that sorts it all out quickly?
You aren't 'cancelling' your friend and daughter coming round for a sleepover. You're just 'correcting' the idiot woman who changed the plan.

You tell her immediately that you never invited her daughter for a sleepover and as it's rude that the woman used her daughter to catch you out, it's up to her to tell her daughter there isn't a sleepover.

Tough if she doesn't like it. Say that politely and then judge her on her reaction. If the whole night is cancelled-that's on her.

Don't lie, don't embellish and DON'T say anything about the girls' level of friendship!

At the end of the day, you invited an adult over and she's taken the piss by dropping you in it for a sleepover.

This is not the little girl, it's the mum.

Do it properly and there won't be 'future situations' as your friend is a rude adult.

"As other posters have said, there's no reason to believe that things won't change and this girl may start treating my kids better and may become a close friend of DD's."

"I really don't want to be honest at this stage and I don't think she'll take kindly to me saying it's adults only after me agreeing to it when I was put on the spot."
-this though, is not saying something unnecessary that is negative sounding. It's not a daughter issue, it's a rude mum inviting others over-even if it were another adult. If she can't make it, she should say sorry she can't and not force you to take everybody in.

"Her DD was so excited about it and it just seems harsh now to say she's not allowed to come but her mum is."
-Really? That's her mum who caused this upset. Her mum will be telling her that she 'can't come' or if she's honest, that there isn't a sleepover to go to and never was.
And most 4 year olds aren't invited to drink wine, so that's why her mum is invited-as the only apparent adult.

"I also know her DD can be a nightmare for going to bed so she may still be awake when my friend would have to leave to come to my house, which would definitely cause a drama. It feels as though on this occasion I need to exaggerate the bad cold etc and then be very clear in future about it being adults only. Another point is that my DH works away so I'm on my own with my 2 kids and I've got the cold, so in all honesty, cancelling the plans would probably do me the world of good."

-This is the other mum's parenting issue and shouldn't be put on you. Just like you wouldn't put it on others if you were invited out.
Would you be so rude if the roles were reversed?
The mum does not come off well, and maybe that's why you find yourself wishing to distance the kids...? Because she's causing it by her behaviour and what she allows/puts them up to?

You have pretty much been guilted into starting this thread. By the MUM.
Tell her to come alone for the adult evening, as she was invited on her own, or not make it and you can rearrange...
Leave the mess she's caused for her to clean up.
Do it now, as it's polite notice for Saturday, isn't a lie, and handles the problem. She shouldn't do it again in future.

ArrivisteRevolt · 20/09/2018 18:57

Poor OP, this isn’t great but I think you have behaved pretty normally and just tried to do your best.

Bit of a mess, though. You’ve put your DD in a messy situation and ultimately this will be awkward for both your friend and her DD and your DD. Make sure you meet the mum for coffee soon.

Kardashianlove · 20/09/2018 22:46

Why are you cancelling though? Do you still want a night with your friend? If so, don’t cancel because a 4 year old wittered on about a sleepover!

Even if the girls were best friends and the DD was no problem, you are entitled to a night with just your friend if that’s what you want.

Then speak to the school about your DD as this is a separate issue.

caroline161 · 20/09/2018 23:01

I've got too much invested in this now ! Is it Friday or Saturday night this is supposed to be happening?

Thatstheendofmytether · 20/09/2018 23:07

I would cancel. I would be tempted to let them come and then give her DD into trouble in front of her if she did upset your dds but I wouldn't want to risk my dds being upset, so just make an excuse.

Thatstheendofmytether · 20/09/2018 23:24

Sorry just read more of the thread. I think you have been given quite a hard time here OP, it can be difficult to have to deal with situations like this in rl because you actually have a relationship with these people so makes it very different. I would still cancel the whole thing. As another pp said the mum changed the goal post here her DD wasn't invited and now you've to have her overnight, that's just cheeky. I would also go to the school about what's going on. Even if school has only just started, this needs nipped in the bud.

PorkFlute · 21/09/2018 00:15

I’d go with the cold excuse and if she offers to take your dd just say ‘thanks but she’s looking forward to an evening with dad/grandma/snuggled up in bed with me and a dvd’

WhatchaMaCalllit · 21/09/2018 09:06

@NameChangeNameChange5 - have you cancelled yet? I read that you were going to but have you?

NameChangeNameChange5 · 21/09/2018 19:43

It's meant to be tomorrow night. So I'll be cancelling in the morning! Wish me luck!

OP posts:
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