Should I say something?

[CucumbersofDoom]

A divorced friend is really quite keen on playing games with her son where she 'leaves'. I understand the tactic used sometimes when children are refusing to get ready to go, but she draws it out for ages, and he's always quite panicky and tearful by the end of it, when she finally comes back for him.

Should I say something more to her? I've sort of tried to be jolly 'oh, mummy's only joking', and she just thinks it a big laugh, but I'm a bit worried that he really does have a huge amount of anxiety about being left.

What is the relevance of her being divorced? I sometimes do this with ds as he can be slow/stubborn, but wouldn't let him get over anxious. TBH I would be very careful saying anything. It is rarely a good idea to comment on other peoples parenting skills.

It's relevant because her husband left her (and her ds, obviously). He clings to my legs for dear life when she leaves, and she often actually gets in the car and drives away. I'm quite sure he's ready to comply long before she actually comes back.

I think you should say something, because surely this will make him think it was his fault the the dad left.
How you put it tactfully I do not know.
Maybe you could ask her, "do you worry he might blame himself for X leaving?"
and see if you can work the conversation round.

I think you should say something, because surely this will make him think it was his fault the the dad left.
How you put it tactfully I do not know.
Maybe you could ask her, "do you worry he might blame himself for X leaving?"
and see if you can work the conversation round.