Before anyone gets mad, I am probably a helicopter parent as well but I stop myself before intervening except when there is a danger, someone risks getting hurt or bullying etc. But how many mums don't I know who gets into details in their children's lives and then want to deal with it instead of giving their DC tools to manage by itself. My youngest and his friends are 11 and we are very close and he tells me everything. Sometimes he complains about a friends behaviour and I listen and try to make him see both point of views and give him advice and it ends there. Some of his friends mums call me all the time to tell me that my DC or some other child in the group has done this or said that. Like..ok? Is your DC sad/upset? No? So this is just gossip? Like who has the time/interest for this. I don't say "get a life" but I do say that I think they can sort it out on their own (again if it's not bullying or sth serious). But when I for once call someone to say that my DC is really sad because they are all teasing him for sth and he has tried to tell them to stop and it doesnt work 2 out of 3 mums come up with excuses like "maybe because your child said a swear word last week" or other which has nothing to do with the issue. It is so weird because they are so judgmental when someone else has done/said something inappropriate but when it comes to their own offspring there is always a good reason for them misbehaving. I'm quite tired of this and want to take a step back from all "friendly" interactions with those mums. AIBU?