'I was trying to be polite but your kid is weird': Mom turns down 2nd playdate after playmate makes her 11-year-old daughter uncomfortable, other mom won't take no for answer

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    AITA for telling a parent that their kid is weird when she pushed as to why my kid didn't want to be her friend.
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    My family and I have moved states. It has been a hard move especially for my oldest daughter Katty. She is in 6th grade. The areas school district has a Facebook account that parents are a part of. I introduced myself on there a while ago.
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    We put katty on the cross country team and she has been making friends over the summer. I got a message from a parent last week, asking to met up and let the kids met. They would be in the same grade and I thought it would be a good opportunity.
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    We went yesterday at the local pool. I met Melanie and she wouldn't make eye contact, was very soft spoken and overall didn't seem to be paying attention. The kids were playing while I talked to the mom. She has always been in the area and was excited her kid was getting a friend.
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    Katty came up to me asking to leave since she wasn't feeling well. We left early and in the car she admitted to just wanting to get away from Melanie. She explained that Melanie freaked her out. She was very touchy, kept pushing her in the water, was whispering ( saying things under her breath), would stare at people and make comments (comparing people to bugs? I am still confused on what that means) Katty told me she was uncomfortable and doesn't want to hang out with her again.
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    The parent messaged me, and asked when they could do it again. I told her the girls didn't mesh well and that we will have to decline. She then called me asking what I meant. I told her that katty wasn't interested in hanging out since they don't mesh together. I was trying to be polite about it.
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    This went on for a while and she told me that they kids just needed to be around eachother more. I told her no to that. It's went on for a while, she asked to talk to my husband which is when I snapped.
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    I told her, no and that I was trying to be polite but your kid is weird. Melanie makes my kid uncomfortable and I don't know what the up with her but we will not have another play date. is
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    She went on Facebook and it going around about how the new family are jerks. It seems to not be going anywhere, but I am wondering if I was a
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    Floating Pencil 1 day ago She asked to speak to your husband? As in, she thought that was the social equivalent of asking for the manager? "Let me speak to the person in charge of you", basically? Nope. Absolutely not. NTA. My guess would be that there's a reason why her daughter evidently doesn't have any friends and at least some of it originates with the mother.
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    nickitty_1 1 day ago Right?! That part would send me into a rage. Are you kidding me? My husband is not my keeper, nor does he have soul authority over this household. What year is this lady living in?? Lol
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    Witchy-toes-669 · 1 day ago Seriously, that would have set me offf, he wasn't even present, poor kid will be friendless awhile
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    wonkiefaeriekitty5. 23 hr. ago No doubt! I'm thinking we know why the child is weird...the mom isn't the most tightly wrapped bunny in the Forest either! Yikes!
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    Interesting_Cut_7591 · 23 hr. ago I'm also going to guess that that reason that mom's post didn't get any traction is because everyone else knows how odd they are.
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    Scary_Possible3583 · 23 hr. ago Exactly. My kid is the odd duckling. I don't strap her to other ducks. I talk to her about the behavior the other ducks don't like, I encourage her to do her best to adjust, and I keep her really busy developing interests and hobbies.
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    The odd duckling swims alone for a while, it takes time to find other odd ducklings, but she will. And she will be an interesting and talented duck, either way
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    Puggymum64.22 hr. ago How about the fact that this woman completely overstepped Katty's autonomy? This woman thinks she gets to decide who OP's daughter is going to be friends with. Maybe one day, she'll see that she's the reason her own child is so socially awkward.
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    beachtea_andcrumpets 21 hr. ago Especially since she mentioned the other kid was being "touchy." I'm sure there are innocent enough reasons for that on her end, but that's not an excuse for mom not to address it. OP is doing the right thing by standing up for their kid in a situation where they felt there boundaries were violated. This is a super important lesson that OP's kid will take away from this and know she can trust mom with these things in the future.
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    Eclectix 20 hr. ago The mom doesn't respect boundaries, so it's not surprising that her daughter doesn't either. But all the same, part of me wonders what the is going on in her life to make her behave that way. Not to armchair diagnose someone third-hand over the internet, (...here comes the but...) but it doesn't sound like typical spectrum/ADHD kind of behavior. Autism and ADHD run in both my family and my friend group, so when I hear someone called
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    "weird" this is what I initially suspect... but I have never met a person with autism who was physically touchy, or who stared at others like that. This kind of inappropriate creepy boundary- crossing behavior seems more like a trauma induced response. Comparing people to insects? Way too touchy? Repeatedly dunking her underwater? Constantly whispering? There may indeed be an innocent enough reason, but all this stuff sends up red flags for me. I would legit be worried for this girl.
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    Valid_Username_56. 23 hr. ago Probably weird kid's mom already knows or has a hunch her child is weird but is in denial.
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    Nobody_asked_me1990 · 1 day ago NTA. You tried to let her down lightly and she pushed it further. My suggestion would be to explain exactly what you did in this post about Melanie's specific behavior and not just call her weird. Having specifics might help her mom understand why she made Katty uncomfortable. Or she'll make excuses for it but at least you tried. I have a feeling others have been through this before and that's probably why the post isn't doing as much damage as it would have other
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    The_Ambling_Horror - 1 day ago "Your kid is weird" is an attack. "Your kid's behavior makes my kid uncomfortable, and I'm not forcing her to be around someone that makes her uncomfortable" is just standing up for your kid. OP did the right thing, just was careless with her wording.
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    Majestic_Register346 · 22 hr. ago Since the mom didn't accept OP's politely worded rejection multiple times, she deserved whatever OP chose to say. I don't understand this attitude where the biggest entitled crocodile tear crier gets the sympathy.

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