When it comes to parenting, there is no right or wrong answer. Everything is a question of point of view and it is not always easy to “decide” one way or another.
A mum, anonymously, shared her views online after revealing on a Reddit forum that her four-year-old daughter wanted to kick the school bully out of her birthday party. A bad choice according to her.
A lesson in kindness
Wishing to give him a lesson in “kindness”, the mother cannot however make her choice. Should she ignore her daughter’s wish by inviting the boy or should she give him reason? “It’s her birthday during the holidays and she wants to throw a party and invite everyone,” she wrote. “It is important for her because she has always been a super shy and anxious child” she continued. Mother and daughter discuss the importance of including everyone so no one gets upset. The little girl thinks it’s a “great idea” except for one child “who apparently bullies her”.
Intimidated all year round
His daughter then explains to him that this boy has been calling him “by mean names” since the beginning of the school year, loving to make fun of everyone in his class. “I don’t want to force my child to invite someone she doesn’t like and who is mean, but at the same time it’s cruel to invite the whole class except one child” added the mother. She then tries to explain to him that it can be good to show kindness to someone who is mean. His daughter then agrees to invite him while telling him that she does not want him. “I don’t want to put pressure and teach him that it’s okay to let someone intimidate us,” she analyzed.
A real dilemma
Although her partner also wants to exclude the boy, so the mom was asking other forum members what they would do in a similar situation. To which one person replied: “Do not absolutely force her to invite someone who treats her badly. It could create a terrible expectation of obligations to those who treat us badly.” Another person invited him to contact the parents of the little boy to take stock with them of his behavior. “It doesn’t seem right to leave it out but it doesn’t seem right to include it either. Good luck ! “concluded a last, delighted to escape such a dilemma.
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