Do you encourge friendships with unsuitable children?

[largeoneplease]

DS1 (7) has had some difficulties making friends. He is friendly enough and described as social able by his teacher, but he doesn't seem to form attachments. ie he always has someone to play with, but it's a different child everyday. Recently he has talked about one boy more than the others and I was wondering about inviting him to play (Ds1 has never suggested it) My only reservation (and yes I'm ashamed on myself) is that his parents are incredibly rough, shouting, swearing, badly dressed, even dirty. Ds1 says the boy is well-behaved. I'm not sure what I'm worried about exactly and it's good that he has a friend but....?

It's good that he has made a friend. Relax.

it sounds more like unsuitable parents than unsuitable child surely..

invite him to play

Yes, there's no harm in having the boy here and if he was destructive or nasty DS1 would want nothing to do with him, so the boy must be OK, but what if he gets invited back?

Save your judgement for later on down the line, if and when the time comes that he is invited over. Maybe the parents aren't so bad? And if they are and you feel uncomfortable about your child being at their house, just play the strict mum card and say 'NO'. t