"Worst mum ever" apparently

[MrsBelle]

Ahhhh the school holidays have well and truly hit!! I'm having a struggle with my 5 year old. We live on a quiet cul de sac where everyone knows of each other etc loads of kids out of 20 houses there must be about 10 kids ages from baby-13yrs old. This is the first year I've let my 5 year old out without me (watching from the livingroom window) she likes to play with the kids that are similar ages nine of the kids are in the baby-to 8yr old age group she plays well with them but we seem to be having bother with the 13 year old boy he's in high school and still comes out to play with the small kids, my daughters only just starting school so I think it's super weird that a 13yr old boy would want to hang around with the young kids. Last year I thought it was strange but thought SURELY this would be his last year playing out with the wee ones. He's a typical teenager, full of attitude and can be a bit rude. Anyway myself and husband made the decision that our daughter shouldn't be out playing with teenage boys especially as he's very rough with the wee ones but they are all boys and my daughters the only girl so they totally idolise him and want to play with him. We made the decision to shout her in any time he appears which is every day and my daughter is distraught that I'm bringing her in and I'm the big bad mum am I wrong to keep her away from him? He was caught last year pulling a 6 year old trousers down TWICE and made creep comments to another neighbours about breast feeding the baby. I don't know if I just watch to much special victims unit but I just can't shake that this is not normal

You’re keeping her safe, if that makes you the worst mum ever, fine. This isn’t a struggle, it’s non negotiable. Absolutely right to bring her in immediately when he appears. I also wonder if you should be in the road too, or on the doorstep, I don’t know how quickly you could get out there if something happened eg a car came flying, can they hear you shouting etc. I’d also be telling all the other parents to have extreme caution regarding this teenager, his behaviour and previous actions are wrong, hanging about with such little ones is just so suspicious and my alarm bells are going off so loudly. His parents seriously need to be aware!

We have a bench in our front garden under our window that I've sat on and watched her from previous years and majority of the time the kids end up in my front garden anyway if I was there. But we have a baby this year and it's harder for me with nap times etc to spend hours out watching her play. I always offer the back garden to all the kids if they want to come in but they prefer being out the front on their bikes and scooters etc. I'm quite friendly with a few of the mums and they've all made comments about the teenager being a weirdo and being rough with the wee boys or just being a proper bully but they don't seem to be doing anything about it only me. My daughter was out with the little boy over the road who is also 5 with their bike and scooter having races and the teenager showed up on his electric bike circling them and then eventually tried to run over my daughters scooter. He knows we have a problem with him so whenever she's out he will get to her before we do! Also he then invites all the kids into his back garden knowing that means that my wee girl will be left out because she's nor allowed out his back garden!! I'm just soooo annoyed that her summers getting ruined because this boy won't go and hang about with kids his own age!! And he does have friends his own age because sometimes they appear with him on their bikes 🤯🤯

Think of it like this: it would be ruined even worse if something dreadful were to happen. Her childhood would be ruined.