Reply to Do something or stay out of it?

Forum Index » General Parenting Discussion

Reply to "Do something or stay out of it?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Yes, do something. Offer this woman some help. Big ways, small ways, w/ev—she’s your neighbor. Find something that isn’t motivated by judgment or undignified for her to accept and offer it.[/quote]

DP, and not OP here: I am interested to see the big gulf between approaches on this thread so far. One approach: Be tough on the kids and firmly shoo them away every time. The other: Offer the mom help and have some compassion. I was the earlier poster noting that the kid-in-car thing would be the final straw and the OP could be held liable if something happens to a kid on her property.

I do get the idea that this family may need help but am asking sincerely and without snarkiness:

What could OP offer, and how, that this mother would accept? People are saying for her to try to help but what does that look like in reality?

OP works full-time. She isn't around during the days or late afternoons to offer....what exactly? To babysit the kids?

On weekends, when the kids are suddenly on her patio starting to drag the chairs around, should she pop out and say, "Hi, let's all play"?

Or if she catches the kids dragging her stuff around, does she go to the mom and say nicely, "Hey, let's occupy the kids another way. I'm going to throw some food on the grill in a few minutes. Want to bring them over to eat?" Again -- I am not being snarky in asking this, I am genuinely wondering if this is what PPs mean when they say to befriend or engage this family. What are you PPs specifically suggesting the OP do or say to "offer help" if OP works full time and presumably has her own activiites outside her working hours?

The wise OP who wrote about how social services hotlines are really not going to help in this case also mentioned not ostracizing this mom and her kids. But unless OP has kids of her own to offer playtime with the neighbor kids -- what can OP really do, other than the occasional "come over while I grill" kinds of things?[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics