How do you handle your kids’ friends’ parents involved in scandals/negative news?
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Anonymous
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Recently, I had to address two scandals/negative news with my children who are young school age and preschool. The first one involved a parent of a school friend involved in alleged law enforcement brutality. The second involved the parents of a neighborhood friend involved in alleged fraud allegations from investors and business partners. One, my kids saw on the news. It was the week that the preschool was working on last names and my child immediately recognized the parent and name. The other we heard on NPR driving to school. Again, my preschooler recognized the name and my elementary school aged child then remembered the story.
In both cases, I’ve tried to model good behavior. I texted the parents that I was thinking of them and offered to bring dinner or host their kids st our house if they needed some space. I invited the parents to coffee or tea. I explained to my children that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and to keep our friends in our prayers at bedtime and meals and thoughts. What would you do? My kids are going, 4 and 6. |
Anonymous
| Young not going. |
Anonymous
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Not buying that your preschool kid picked up on news about a classmate.
Tttttttrrrrrrrrroooolllllllll |
Anonymous
| "Larlo's parents are having a rough time." |
Anonymous
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I'd just say that someone said that X did something bad, and now there will be an investigation to find out what happened. In the meantime, X's family might be feeling anxious or worried, so maybe make a little extra effort to be kind to X's kids, and certainly don't treat them any different.
I wouldn't be in the position of affirming anyone's innocence or guilt--you don't know what happened. Better to focus on how your kids can interact with their kids. |
Anonymous
Really? My kid absolutely knows her classmates' last names, and the names of her friends' parents. I can easily imagine her hearing a news story about one of them and recognizing the name. |
Anonymous
In preschool? Geez. |
Anonymous
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You do sound like you're inventing this.
Why did you offer help? It’s not like they have a debilitating condition... plus they could be guilty as hell... Unless the accused is your good friend, the correct etiquette is not to say anything. Tell your kids the absolute minimum, because it’s really not age appropriate. |
Anonymous
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Does "involved in an alleged police brutality" mean that your friend beat someone up and you just wonder if it will be found to be justified? But it was a big enough deal to be on the news? I wouldn't treat the child any differently, but nor would I go out of my way to bring them meals.
"People think that Larlo's father might have made a mistake. We don't know what happened, but no matter what, it's not Larlo's fault." |
Anonymous
Ridiculous. |
Anonymous
| This sounds like an episode of Billions. |
Anonymous
| cool story bro |
Anonymous
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Close family friends were recently in the news for a political scandal, and none of the kids picked up on it except for the older ones in middles school. Younger kids knew "so and so's job is very difficult right now" and that was enough.
I also call troll on this. |
Anonymous
| Oh yeah, my preschooler is really into watching the news. |
Anonymous
| Yeah, I'm not offering to bring meals, but I'd tell my kids that whatever their parents may have done, it's not the kids' fault, and their classmates might be having a hard time right now, so to be extra kind to them. |