Another Day Being a Mom...

Updated on October 02, 2013
J.M. asks from Brandon, FL
4 answers

I've always been the one that gets along with everyone and attempts to make peace or move on. My husband and I teach our kids morals and values and to treat others as they want to be treated. We hear from others what a good job we are doing in this hard world raising our girls. Well like always there is drama and moms try to make it better. I'm sure I will jump around trying to post this and get some answers. I'm trying to see what options or how you would handle it or what I can still do to help.

I car pool with another family who has more kids then I. The young kids go with the other mom and I take the older kids. My kids are more mature and the other mom knows this. The older one has a few friends from other schools. Those friends really try to act older (having older siblings or blended family with cousins, aunts/uncles, single parents boyfriends living in their homes) and have different family morals and values but still taken care of. I'm ok with that, the kids are still taken care of but make bad clothing and potty mouths. My kids dress age appropriate and I'm sure they use bad language when I'm not around. My kids aren't angels and I don't make them out to be. Anyways...getting back to car pool and the older kids. Two of them go to the same school and my friends kid isn't as mature and acts like a kid, she's sweet, yet naive and sensitive. My kid is mature for her age and she will speak her mind and be stubborn but she is a good kid. She stood up to a bully last year that was bulling another child and the teacher saw it and told me. So I know my kid has a heart. Well everyday there is a text or call or face to face that my kid is being mean to my friends kid. They act ok in the car ride to and from school. They talk while I talk to my friend and pick up my younger child. My oldest likes to take pictures of herself and post every little thing. She takes pictures with her friends from the other schools all the time and some with my friends kid. Then I hear it from the mom that my kid doesn't hang out/treat her kid right. They spend time on the car ride and they have some classes together. I can't force a friendship to be better friends if only the friend stage is where they want to be. I tell my child be nice, make this work and don't be fake or just let me know and I will end the car pool and move on. It's crazy to deal with this every day. I told my kid it's almost like a bully but then the other is so sensitive if mined doesn't say hi all the time. I just want it all to stop. I told my friend and the girls they have to work it out. I gave advice, they choose to do it or not. What else can I say/do or offer? I want this to work out and maybe it will. I went to school and avoided drama as much as possible. I don't like it or competition and this is what it's turning into. Fire away!

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So What Happened?

Thank you all. I have talked to my daughter each time. I too think taking a break is in order. We hear the whole story alone and together. I believe my daughter and my friends daughter but they need to work it out. Sometimes the parent have to step back and let the kids learn. My daughter isn't being mean, my friends daughter is too sensitive and takes it as being mean. We have the privacy settings and we are friends with my daughter online so we can monitor her words and pictures as well as friends.

More Answers

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

What does your daughter say? Is she really being mean or is the other girl hurt because your daughter doesn't pay that much attention to her at school?

Something is weird with this story. The girls are fine in the car, but the other kid turns around and tells mom she's being bullied by your daughter at school.

Maybe the carpooling should stop.

ETA: and if it's just hurt feelings, tell the other mom that your daughter is not bullying hers. She just has different friends at school and that's okay.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I would talk to my DD and ask the other mom for specifics. If the other kid doesn't "treat her right" what does that mean? That they are carpool/school friends and that the other family doesn't like that? Is this something the kids should work out on their own? If the other mom is tattling to you about your kid you can tell her "I have already spoken to DD. I think the girls need to work it out." If she doesn't like that and doesn't want to carpool, then transport your own kid and let it go.

You might also talk to your DD about taking so many pictures and posting them. Are you aware of her privacy settings? Who she is texting pictures to? That is an issue unto itself.

1 mom found this helpful

A.C.

answers from Huntington on

When the other mom complains to you about your child being mean, ask for specifics. What exactly happened that hurt the child's feelings? Once you know exactly what happened, you can decide whether your child's actions go against your family rules or not and decide on the course of action.

Your child can be encouraged to be polite and inclusive of course. If you determine that this is just a matter of the girls growing apart, not being a good match and perhaps the kid being very thin skinned (perhaps taking offense where there really is not anything mean going on) then I think it would be ok to just take a break from the friendship and the carpool arrangement. When my kids have a hard time clicking with their friends, we usually take a break for a while.

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

It sounds like you advised your daughter what to do.
It things don't change, I would just stop the car pool.

1 mom found this helpful
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