What to do?

Healthy Stealthy · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

We have "good friends" who are always there for us. When we need
anything they call to make sure we are okay. Our kids play with their
kids. They are very caring people. They are also moving away.
Today is the third time their small child has said the father said
something bad about our kid. This time the mother is calling to have
their son tell us that it's not true. We did not pick up the phone.
Should we tell them what their son said the father said all those
times? This makes it very uncomfortable for us. After all, the child
might be lying, but I doubt it.

Archived from group: alt>parenting>solutions

lataverma · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

On Jan 27, 1:25 am, Brandon D Cartwright wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 11:15:15 -0800 (PST), Healthy Stealthy
>
> wrote:
> >We have "good friends" who are always there for us. When we need
> >anything they call to make sure we are okay. Our kids play with their
> >kids. They are very caring people. They are also moving away.
>
> You and the kids will miss them then...
>
> >Today is the third time their small child has said the father said
> >something bad about our kid.
>
> how small is small?
>
> This time the mother is calling to have
>
> >their son tell us that it's not true. We did not pick up the phone.
>
> Why on earth not?
>
> >Should we tell them what their son said the father said all those
> >times?
>
> What did he say his father said?
>
> >This makes it very uncomfortable for us. After all, the child
> >might be lying, but I doubt it.
>
> Why do you prefer to believe the small child over the parents who are
> good friends?

Here, you have two faces to the problem:
1. Isn't this a known notion that kids don't tell the truth or the
whole truth? In your case it seems that the kid is telling the truth,
because otherwise why would a child come to you and lie to you about
his/her FATHER? I doubt it. As I see it, the kid is telling the truth.
2. The kids parents may not want to tell you those things just to
avoid the confrontation.

Check it out how true the statement is and work on that. Let them go
smoothly, you don't want to create a scene now.