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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU? DD(7) kicked by another child.

20 replies

Wwyd2024 · 23/01/2024 20:14

DH and I have had a bit of a disagreement tonight regarding how we wish to deal with an incident that happened at our daughters basketball training. It would be really helpful to know if I’m being completely irrational.

DD used to play football with a friend of hers who is also in one of the basketball teams. When they trained together, they had almost a sibling type relationship. Lots of laughing, joking together and a bit of rough play but it was always well meaning. No one was ever upset.

I did see this boy lash out a couple of times, in frustration and kick a team mate. Not a full blown kick, more just that he would hold onto his feelings about something that had happened to him and then it would bubble over and he’d give them a knock to their football boots. His mum would be straight onto the pitch to discipline him for this and he would be told to apologise. This makes him sound really naughty but he really is usually lovely, would just struggle on occasion to handle his feelings.

anyway, fast forward to today and my DD was at basketball. She left her court to go to the toilet and when she got back, she was upset and told DH that this boy had kicked her when she passed him on her way to the toilets. There was a red mark on her arm.

DH called me to explain what had happened and asked me to speak to his mum. I explained to DH that I really didn’t want to do that. I said that since none of us witnessed the kick, the child may have meant it in the playful way that he often does with our daughter, but might have got carried away. I did say that if he wanted to, he could go and speak to the mum himself, but unfortunately, the boys teams training had finished and the parents had left.

DH has come home and is horrified by my reluctance to contact his mum. I have to explained that if I had been there, I would have told DD to tell her coach and then he could have informed the other child’s coach but I feel like texting her now about something I wasn’t even there for and none of us witnessed seems like potential overkill.

When DD got home, I checked her arm and there was no visible mark at all. I explained that the child should certainly not have kicked her and I’ve told her the importance of telling her coach if anything like this happens again. DH was bullied in his childhood and says I am totally letting our DD down by not taking this further.

Maybe I’m being completely irrational and should message his mum to tell her? DD seems perfectly okay about it now but DH says that when he was a kid, he would tell his parents he was fine too.

YABU - text the mum.
YANBU - don’t text her. Move on but tell her if anything like this happens again.

OP posts:
Wwyd2024 · 23/01/2024 20:29

Anyone?

OP posts:
Createausername1970 · 23/01/2024 20:34

I am with you on this one.

7 year olds can be boisterous and it was a sport session, so unless you saw it yourself, in this instance I would do nothing.

But if the same thing happens again, then I would follow it up.

s4usagefingers · 23/01/2024 20:37

Agree, no need to go any further at this point. Just keep an eye.

MyGooseisTotallyLoose · 23/01/2024 20:40

Not with you or pp at all *She left her court to go to the toilet and when she got back, she was upset and told DH that this boy had kicked her when she passed him on her way to the toilets. There was a red mark on her arm.

DH called me to explain what had happened and asked me to speak to his mum. I explained to DH that I really didn’t want to do that. I said that since none of us witnessed the kick, the child may have meant it in the playful way that he often does with our daughter, but might have got carried away.*
So your daughter said she was upset because someone hit her and your response is 'no one else saw it and if he did kick you it was probably just in fun like he usually does'?!

Scutterbug · 23/01/2024 20:43

I agree with you.

PTAProblems · 23/01/2024 20:44

I agree with you. I wouldn't contact the Mum at all. If it happens again I'd speak to the coach and ask them to deal with it as it happened during their session.

notknowledgeable · 23/01/2024 20:45

I agree with you. the time and place to deal with it was there and then. Absolutely nothing good will come of complaining to the mum after woods. Tell your daughter she needs to go straight to the adult in charge and report, if anything like this ever happens again

Pottlee · 23/01/2024 20:46

I agree with you OP, and if you were there you may have had more insight and been able to do something about it, but as you weren’t, I feel that given the circumstances it’s OTT to message the mum.
My DH is a bit like this with “you should tell the teacher/parent” or whatever to me, but never actually does himself! You’ve told DD how to handle to situation if it occurs again, but maybe tell DH then when it’s on his watch he’s more than welcome to address it himself.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 23/01/2024 20:46

Why didnt your DH deal with it?

Wwyd2024 · 23/01/2024 20:48

@Atethehalloweenchocs DH doesn’t know the family as I was the one to take DD to football practice due to his work schedule. So he didn’t know who the parents were and didn’t think of telling the coach.

OP posts:
toomuchfaff · 23/01/2024 20:48

MyGooseisTotallyLoose · 23/01/2024 20:40

Not with you or pp at all *She left her court to go to the toilet and when she got back, she was upset and told DH that this boy had kicked her when she passed him on her way to the toilets. There was a red mark on her arm.

DH called me to explain what had happened and asked me to speak to his mum. I explained to DH that I really didn’t want to do that. I said that since none of us witnessed the kick, the child may have meant it in the playful way that he often does with our daughter, but might have got carried away.*
So your daughter said she was upset because someone hit her and your response is 'no one else saw it and if he did kick you it was probably just in fun like he usually does'?!

This...

So unless you see something it hasn't happened?

Your DD has no voice, why would they tell you about something again, you won't support them.

Iwasafool · 23/01/2024 20:50

How does your DD feel? I'd listen to her so if she is upset and felt it was a deliberate aggressive kick I'd mention it to the mother. I wouldn't be angry, just mention what DD has said and leave it to her to deal with.

Obviously it would have been better dealt with at the time but DHs failure doesn't mean DD shouldn't feel supported.

Wwyd2024 · 23/01/2024 20:51

@toomuchfaff - If you re-read my post, you’ll see that I didn’t say to DD that it might have been rough play where the boy got carried away. I said that to DH.

I told DD that he should certainly not have kicked her and that she must tell the coach if anything like this happens in future.

OP posts:
Ghentsummer · 23/01/2024 20:54

Your husband should have said something to the coach. Does he always push these types of issue onto you to handle?

AnneLovesGilbert · 23/01/2024 20:55

The way you’re minimising his violent behaviour is awful. Does it hurt the injured person less if he’s usually lovely, just a bit boisterous, and needs help managing his feelings?

4 year olds shouldn’t behave like this, never mind 7 year olds.

And no one witnessed it and the red mark faded so you’ll just shrug this one off and hope next time he lashes out at her someone else sees him?

I doubt you’d be so casual about anyone attacking you but your daughter’s only a child so it’s okay. This boy is only a bit of a live wire, so it’s okay.

ilovebreadsauce · 23/01/2024 20:58

he would have to be pretty flexible to kick her that high, she has probably caught it on the door handle or something. Anyway if there is nothing to see after a few minutes , it is nothing

5128gap · 23/01/2024 20:58

Honestly OP? You and your husband both sound extremely conflict avoidant. Both happy for someone else to sort it (you - the coach, your H-you) but neither wanting to speak up. If your DD has been kicked deliberately by a boy with a history of poor emotional regulation and of being free with his boots, that's a problem that needs sorting before it escalates. Someone was there, your DD was there. Unless she has a habit of being untruthful or exaggerating she is your witness. As its your H who is concerned he should speak to the mum, but if he won't, I think you should.

CatherineHolly · 23/01/2024 20:59

AnneLovesGilbert · 23/01/2024 20:55

The way you’re minimising his violent behaviour is awful. Does it hurt the injured person less if he’s usually lovely, just a bit boisterous, and needs help managing his feelings?

4 year olds shouldn’t behave like this, never mind 7 year olds.

And no one witnessed it and the red mark faded so you’ll just shrug this one off and hope next time he lashes out at her someone else sees him?

I doubt you’d be so casual about anyone attacking you but your daughter’s only a child so it’s okay. This boy is only a bit of a live wire, so it’s okay.

I completely agree with this.

SamphiretheTervosaurReturneth · 23/01/2024 20:59

Your DD told you/your DH a boy kicked her on the arm, not 'knocking boots', for walking passed him and you thought 'ah well, I didn't see it, he probably meant no harm'?

Well done. Now your DD has her own mum thinking of a boy's feelings before her feelings or safety.

You and your DH need to work this one out. What happens next time? If the boy decides your DD can be his whipping post?

At the very least let the coach know.

Wwyd2024 · 23/01/2024 21:01

@SamphiretheTervosaurReturneth like my OP says, I would have told the coach if I had been there and allowed him to discuss with the other coach as both teams were training at the time. That is how I would have handled it. I wasn’t there and didn’t know about it until the other child’s training had finished.

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