We live in a very close community with lots of children who all play outside, especially during the summer holidays. The children range widely in age and there are often visitors who also play.
For the most part the children play well together, there is the odd upset which is usually forgotten by the following day.
Recently however one family seem to be upset with the way things are and have started to get involved in the childrens arguments. Most of the parents stay out of any disagreements between the children as they are often sorted easily enough. This family has taken to getting involved and telling the children off, not their own children but everyone else's. They often listen out to the childrens conversations and will jump in when they hear the other children being nasty or spiteful except they never hear when it is their children that are being horrible.
I have tried addressing this in a round about way through conversation in groups but they seem to think that their children are always the ones being picked on and do not seem to want to acknowledge that sometimes it is their children that are provoking the situation or being spiteful.
Most of the children shrug their troubles off and get on with it but these children have a habit of going to their parents when there is a problem and getting them to intervene. This is exascabating the situation because now some of the children don't want to play with them at all because they feel they will always end up being told off by the parents.
I don't want to get into a big argument as we all have to live closely together and have generally got on very well in the past. I'm tempted to tell my children they are banned from playing with certain people so that there is no way they can be percieved as the "trouble makers" anymore but I know that will cause bigger problems.
Please understand I am in no way saying my children are perfect, they are in the mix a fair share and can dish out the nastyness. If I feel it is appropriate I will make them appologise but I won't punish them if I feel it is a 50/50 scenario.