DD is friends with a girl in her class. This girl has been in significant trouble at school; she's been moved into DD's class for doing something nasty to another girl in her original form. They are in year 8.
Since she moved into DD's class DD has lost some of her other friends because of her association and relentless defense of her new friend. Her new friend has said really unpleasant things about DD's friends which DD either ignores or excuses 'she didn't mean it, she was only joking'.
So now it's DD and her new best friend on their own a lot of the time. My experience of her new best friend is relatively positive, she's generally polite although I've seen a glimpse of her unpleasant side too.
I would love them not to be friends as I don't see this relationship as healthy. DD has spent some time with her new friend and her family (all good) but I know I'm going to be badgered into sleepovers and so on at my house. So should I treat her as any other friend, invites for tea and so on or make my opinion on their friendship crystal clear?
I've already told DD that I think their friendship has resulted in her losing her other friends. DD denies it but I know it's true. I've done teas / sleepovers and so on over the years to encourage a wide circle of friends, it hasn't worked so I don't see why I should do them for a friend I'm not
keen on? However, we'll soon owe the other family,for want of a better expression, a tea at least.
My current stance is that a) a sleepover is unnecessary because new friends is local but b) IF there's no more trouble as a result of their friendship I might consider it. Since DD and her new friend are now quite isolated from the rest of the year group there's unlikely to be trouble, simply because they've upset most of the other friends.
So, how do you deal with the friends you don't like but your children think are great?