Very new here and looking for advice on my son having been accused of stealing by a friend last week. - rather long story coming up -
I had a horrible encounter with a 'friend' who I have a childcare arrangement with. I have her son(10) wednesday afternoons and she has mine(10) thursday afternoons and this has worked well for almost a year. Then last wednesday evening I had a horrible encounter when she turned up at my door to chat about something she turned up with her bf (there was no previous mention he would be joining and I am a single parent) to accuse my child of having a worrying problem, that he steals and cannot help it. She is missing a ring (a promise ring of which her bf has the other half) ... and apparently a jacket from her nephew is missing as well. I made an attempt after they left to discuss with my son who burst into tears and has said he knows nothing about her ring or this jacket. We checked his room, his coat and after a lot of probing and re-assuring him that if he opens up now he will not get into trouble but we will apologise and tackle the issue as a family together. I am fully on my sons side that he is innocent of this I have no reason to believe otherwise. After making an attempt to clarify this with my 'friend' she completely shut me down and with no proof has made it clear that my son IS to blame and DOES HAVE a problem that he cannot help and this MUST be addressed. The atmosphere is very hostile, she has said as I have not cooperated (code for: side with her) she will have to take 'extra measures' to protect her family. Needless to say we are no longer looking after each others children. She has mentioned the police already.... I am fully on my sons side as are my family, good friends of ours, his teacher who is not able to get involved personally but confirmed he has never seen him steal or had any other student complain that he has taken anything from them. Another childminder where he eats lunch 2-3x a week (i work full time and live in CH where the school system is very different to the UK) also sent a lovely message saying that this cannot be the case either having looked after him for the past two years never once has she seen any suspicious behaviour or missed anything from her home. I will add that at school a discussion on stealing was brought up I don't believe this was connected to my 'friends' ring going missing. But my son happened to mention he had stolen a lollipop once and took a classmates pencil case, both of these things happened last year and the pencil case was returned the next day (the lollipop was not though)
I am honestly so angry at this girl as my son is now terrified she will confront him or worse her bf will and as the kids are in the same class and we are practically neighbours it is very likely we will run into them at some point soon. Any thoughts would be really appreciated having read a similar thread the comments left were really amazing.
So if you made it to the bottom I am extremely thankful and look forward to comments. Many many thanks, Naimee!