It can be difficult to let your kids venture into the world even when they're small. How many times have we heard of kids getting bullied in school? This definitely happens a lot. So is a mom at fault when she chooses to protect her child?
That's the question one mom recently asked on Reddit when she refused to invite one child to her daughter's birthday party because of bullying. Let's find out more about this story, shall we?
She explained that her daughter is having a birthday party, and all the kids from her class got invited except for one. This particular child has bullied this little 7-year-old girl on numerous occasions.
But the mom got upset when she found out her child wasn't invited to the party and confronted the other mom. "The other girl's mother called me to talk about it saying how now her daughter is crying she was the only kid not invited and everyone at school is talking about the party," she wrote.
"The mother said I’m teaching my child to be a 'bully' and use her wealth to make friends."
This mom continued by saying that she spoke to the other child's mom and told her why her child didn't get invited. The mom then offered for her child to apologize.
However, she never said that before the child didn't get invited, so this mom didn't think it was genuine. And she still refused to have her come to the party.
After she posted on Reddit, many people chimed in. And surprise, surprise, most of them agreed with her decision not to invite her daughter's bully to the birthday party.
"NTA Here’s why. Your daughter has every right to feel safe at her party. This is a thing this girl is going to miss out on and she’s upset about that. Which I guess is understandable but here is the thing mum didn’t offer an apology before the party. Didn’t pull her kid in line before the party and when it was brought up repeatedly with the school. She is only doing it now because her kid is the 'victim.' My main reason is that your kid deserves not to be walking on eggshells at her party. And I absolutely loathe when parents continue to put their kids in contact with their bullies/abusers. Children or not. Your child deserves to feel safe."
Amen to that!
"Yep, absolutely this. If that mom wants a good opportunity to be a parent, then she will see this as a teachable moment for her own kid. 'See, act like an [expletive] to the other kids and they won't want you around!' I'm going to go out on a limb though and say most of the kids who bully children are like that because their parents can't be bothered to be teaching them the damn [expletive] they need to learn."
Aha!
"To add to this forcing the child to apologize does nothing if it’s not sincere and the only reason the child would be apologizing is to get invited to the party. The child is learning that actions have consequences and frankly no one wants to be friends with a bully. Good on OP for sticking to this boundary because it’s going to reinforce with your daughter that she’s allowed to set limits."
I totally agree with that.
"Mum is not teaching her child that it is wrong to bully others and you should not do it. Mum is teaching her child that you should do or say whatever it takes to get what you want. Clearly, that’s what she tried with that phone call too. Appealed to OP’s emotions, then insulted them, and then tried to negotiate. Glad OP stood strong. [Expletive] mum bully and the apple that didn’t fall too far from the tree."
Sorry to say, but this is true too.
How would you react if this was your child? Would you single out a class bully like that and leave them out? As cruel as it might sound, this is a teaching moment for this child's mom. If you let your kids get away with stuff, they will learn to use that to their advantage.
I applaud this mom for standing her ground and doing what's right for her child. Never mind the bully and their misguided mom.
