If My Kid Is Being An Asshole, I Want You To Tell Me
Trust me, I want to know.
In the past couple of weeks, I have found myself in a few different awkward positions where I haven't quite known what the right thing to do is.
In one situation, one of my kids got hurt by a friend's kid. Like, struck in the head with a rock. Should I say something? It was an accident. I knew the kid felt bad. I wanted to say something, but I never did.
Another situation did not involve my kids. But I was told that the teenage child of someone I'm not super-close friends with but someone I like and see around once a week or so has been engaging in behavior that is unhealthy. And illegal. Stuff that would devastate me if I found out it was one of my kids.
What should I do? Should I say something? Or stay out of it?
I know if it were me, in both those scenarios, I would want to know. I think many of us moms find ourselves in these situations: Not knowing whether we should speak up or not.
So I'm going to make it crystal clear: If my kid whips a rock and hits your kid in the head, I want you to tell me. Whether or not it was an accident.
If my kid talks to you disrespectfully, I want you to tell me.
If my kid is doing drugs, I want you to tell me.
If you see my kid in a place you think he or she might not have permission to be, I want you to tell me.
If you hear my kid is doing drugs, even if you aren't positive it's true, I want you to tell me.
If you think my kid might have gotten sh*tfaced at a party but aren't positive that's true either, I want you to tell me.
If you know my kid has lied to me about something, I want you to tell me.
If my kid is being a bully, I want you to tell me.
If my kid is not being a bully but is just being a general assh*le, I want you to tell me.
If you know my kid is having sex with someone, I want you to tell me.
If my kid is using really inappropriate language around other children, I want you to tell me.
If my husband is cheating on me (he's not, he hasn't, but you know, hypothetically), please tell me.
If I have a visible booger in my nose, I want you to tell me.
If it is apparent to everyone but me that I have gotten my period, I want you to tell me.
If you find out one of my kids is pregnant, I want you to tell me.
If there is a big, black hair sticking out of my neck or my chin or any other part of my body above my waist (or below for that matter), I want you to tell me.
If my kid is hanging out with a drug addict or a drug dealer or a prostitute or a convicted felon or someone who is more than three years older than he or she is, I want you to tell me.
If my kid is doing sh*t on the computer that you wouldn't want your kid to do, I want you to tell me.
If my zipper is down, I want you to tell me.
If my mascara has run down my face and I look like I just went a couple rounds with Mike Tyson, I want you to tell me.
If my skirt is tucked into my underpants, I want you to tell me.
If there is something going on that isn't on this list and you are torn between telling me and not telling me, I want you to tell me.
And if you want to inform me of any of the things on this list but aren't sure how to start, just say: Remember that time you said if your kid was being an assh*le you wanted me to tell you? Well...