AIBU to ask if you would go for lunch with these people?

[ScoutFinchMockingbird]

I have been invited to lunch by some mums at DS' school. I've been out with them before, but recently DS (9) has been bullied (left out and told to go and play elsewhere) by some of the children of these mums.

Also, he wasn't invited to their parties, when he had thought he was their close friend and when I tried to arrange to meet up over summer, they were "busy".

I don't really mind this - I know friendships move on and change a lot at this age and DS has found other friends. But why invite me to luch therefore, and would you go?

You’ll never find out why unless you go! I’d go with an open mind; they might be wanting to clear the air.

Do you like them and enjoy their company? If so l'd go - if not, don't bother!
I spent too many dull evenings with people l had nothing in common with when the kids were small just because l thought l should go if asked ...

I don't really understand the thing of only being friends with people if your children are also friends. I wasn't especially close to the kids of most of my mum's best friends and my mum didn't socialise with my best friends' mums.

If you get along with these women and would enjoy their company, go. If their kids don't really get along that well with yours, there's not much they can do about that - ultimately, if their children don't really click with your son, they're not obliged to play with him for the rest of their childhoods. If I was a parent, I don't think I'd force my child to invite a kid to their party or have playdates with them if they'd fallen out and had other friends whose company they preferred.