At what reasonable age do parents butt out of trying to tell children who to play with?!
Is it reasonable that my child and her pal are playing nicely in our house when another knocks, and they tell her they are not coming out to play? They didn't invite her in (my opinion being that if they wanted to play with her, they would have, and they are at liberty to have some time on their own if they want to). The child, let's call her X, ran home, got her mother, who then appeared on my doorstep, berating my 9 year old for not inviting her daughter in to play. Gobsmacked. The mother then had a go at ME, asking "well your daughter's been in my house" (good for her - not any more she ain't). I replied that at the age of 9 they are quite able to decide who to play with and when, and not to get involved in squabbles. The mother then said "don't YOU encourage them all to play with each other?!, implying that I'm a BAD MOTHER for not inviting all and sundry in to play, regardless of whether my daughter wants them in or not. She asked how I would feel if my daughter came home crying because they wouldn't play with her (I didn't mention that on previous occasions my daughter certainly had been crying because of the other child - didn't want to make mountains out of molehills). My reply was that I would tell her to "get over it and play with someone else" - and have done so frequenly - life and people don't always go your way. She went away. Can't quite believe the above. I was really shocked. Playground spats on the doorstep between the mothers. How on earth are children ever to learn to take rejection if not by starting at this age. I expect the other child was upset, but unfortunately that's life, and I wouldn't DREAM of knocking on another mother's door with something so trivial. Is it me?
Feel a bit better getting that off my chest!