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Parenting is hard enough; bad influence from other kids makes it harder.
This woman noticed some changes in her 5-year-old son’s behavior when he was hanging out with a neighborhood kid. So she told her son to stop playing with him, and the neighbor kid’s mom reared up.
Read below for the full story.
AITA for keeping my kid away from kids who aren’t parented well?
I live in a very small area, not even a town. Think 100 people. And we all work together. There are lots of kids.
My son plays a lot with a neighbor’s son. But they’re not great for each other. They don’t let others play, they are too rough, and generally have gained a reputation for being “bad.”
This friend accused my son of doing something very, very bad, and I believed it. Come to find out, my son didn’t do this; his friend did.
But by the time he came clean, the damage was done.
Fast forward a few months, and they’re both being extremely rude to adults, workers alike.
This woman told her young son not to hang out with the neighbor’s kid anymore.
I told my son you are not to hang out with this kid anymore until you know how to take responsibility for your actions and can turn your behavior around.
He then goes to this kid’s mother and tells her I said this. She’s mad.
She asks me for the truth. I told her yes, I did say that.
And further explained they’re not bringing out the best in each other.
She continues to want explanations which I regrettably obilge to do. Now she’s giving me the cold shoulder and icing me out all over the place.
Am I the jerk for telling my kid to distance him self?
Prioritize your son over your neighbor’s feelings.
Let’s read the comments from other readers.
An honest opinion from this user.
This one makes a solid point.
This person takes her side.
Another reader chimes in.
And here’s a dissenting opinion.
Protect your kids from badly behaved friends at all costs.
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