I pick DD up from school and she's crying. I ask her what's wrong and she tells me that during the day she went up to K to say "hi" and that K's friend told DD that they can't talk to her because "K's mom said you're a brat and that your mom is mean." DD is asking me why K's mom would say that about her. DD says, "I know she doesn't like you, but why would she say that about ME?" Now the MamaLion in me is ready to attack.
How DARE she bad mouth my daughter? Is BM really THAT pathetic to attack a 9 year old? I'm pissed. Other than confronting her, I know there is nothing we can do. I genuinely hate that woman. She is so bitter and unhappy and she projects her issues onto an innocent child. I know going to Court won't accomplish anything, but something needs to be done. Her actions are going to have a long term negative impact on K, DD and their relationship with each other. And for what? Just so BM can make herself feel better? I'm so disgusted. I know I'm ranting and rambling right now, but I'm beyond angry.

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Re: And it begins...
Here is MY thing...who is to say exactly what BM exactly said?
By 9, she should know better; she should know better than to repeat something liek that to a friend and she should know better than to act on it.
Given that she did BOTH, her ACTIONS - both as a gossip (because that is what she did) and a brat need consequences and punishments.
But back to my first point, are we even sure her mother really said it, or is this something your SD pulled out of her ass to explain away why she doesnt want herself and/or her friends to associate with your daughter?
Because the first thing I thought was that she doesnt want to share her friendship but doesnt want to make it out that she doesnt like your daughter because she knows she (SD) would get introuble for not playing with her (your DD).
My daughter is 9 and K is 7. You're really saying that you think a 7 year old would make that up? And it wasn't K who told DD what was said, it was K's friend who is also 7. At that age, kids pretty much repeat whatever they're told and hear. DD and K play together all the time. At school and at home. K asks my DD to come help out in her class and you're saying that K suddenly doesn't "like" DD? Really?
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TO some extent, sure that could very well be at the bottom of this.
Its not that K hates or even dislikes your DD. But that at school, K does not want to play with her step-sister. It is a perfectly normal reaction to siblings being in the same school Hell, my sister went out of her way to pretend that she was not related to me her entire 4 years of highschool...and we were 100% biologically related and I was already in college.
And hell yes a 7 year old would think up, ie lie about something like that. My 4 yo just told a whopper of a lie in order to hurt her father's feelings because she was not getting her way.
But if you notice what I also posted that this could be a situation where somethign got lost in translation between what BM stated and what the friend heard, along with K exagerating.
Or it could very well be a nasty BM yet again causing problems.
But in the end, your 7 yo StepDaughter either created this comment or repeated the comment to her friend. Something that does not need to be glossed over in your BEC moment with BM.
Because just like my belief that a 7 yo could lie like that, I also firmly believe that a 9 or 7 yo knows that repeating this stuff is wrong, both in proper manners (ie gossiping) and in causing hurt feelings.
So what are you going to do about that?
Maybe something got lost in translation here. K's friends said that BM told HER that, not that K told her BM said it. I don't think I expressed that clearly in my OP. And based in the emotional manipulation BM has been inflicting on K the last few years, I do believe that she would say these things to K as well as K's friends. This is the same woman who made allegations that DD, who was 6 at the time, was being physically abusive towards K. K has asked us several times over the years why her mom says certain things, whether they've been about me, my kids, even my pregnancy, and I'm sorry but I just cannot believe that K is making those things up. When she asks us about them, she's usually crying and very upset. To believe that she's making things up would mean that K is basically a sociopath and a damn good actress.
As for what we are going to do about it, I'm not sure what can be done. I told DD that sometimes people say mean things about others when they're unhappy and I apologized for her having her feelings hurt. My husband is going to talk to BM and check with his attorney. There's a clause in the CO that neither party will make disparaging comments about each other or each other's family members to K, so this may be grounds for contempt. Who knows. But our main goal is to protect the girls from BM's comments and to nurture their relationship with each other.
It's just really "convenient" that this happens a few days after BM threatens to quit the PTA if I become President.
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I would go to the school, especially since it was K's friend AND happened at school. At 7, she is more than likely repeating what she's heard/been told. Talking with K's friend and her parents will hopefully help resolve DD's hurt feelings. It won't do much for what BM is saying about DD, but it will at least prevent the friend from being nasty to your DD. Which is really the only punishment I think you'll get from this situation. Just knowing that you'll drag K-friend's parents into the principal's office, will hopefully have them "policing" BM's remarks about DD. Also, having DH say something to BM. Anything from "K-friend was really mean to DD last week. K-friend called DD a brat and even said that jobalchak was mean. If K-friend keeps up this behavior, I'm not sure I want K being friends with her." to "K-friend told DD that you've called DD a brat and jobalchak mean. This kind of mean-spirited talk won't be tolerated." Finally, I think you should have a chat with K next time she is in your care about how hurt DD was and have K suggest other actions she could take. Help her see that she should have stuck up for DD.
Best wishes with a yucky situation!
I'm sorry but I'm also of the opinion that K should be corrected by your DH for her behavior in this. She allowed her friend to "bully" your DD by calling her names, ect. 7 year olds can and will say things adults do not say also (sure it could have come from BM), but maybe K chose not to stick up for your DD because she told her friend those things when she was upset with you or your DD at some time or another. Kids get upset and say things they may not mean.
I'm just saying if there was an incident like that between our girls. SD would be corrected. We cannot control BM but we can correct SD's behavior. How will she ever learn it's not appropriate if it's not discussed with her? K should learn how to support her sister when negative comments are being made toward her by her "friends."
oops. replied to wrong post.
I didn't even post on this thread. Did I?
mom2, no but since you saw it here i won't bother reposting it where it belongs.
jobal, on the topic of this post, I'm in agreement with gin.
I feel the focus here should be on Jobs DD who got hurt in all of this, regardless of whether it was BM or the kids.
Job this is a great opportunity for you to talk with your DD, spend a little one on one time with her and teach her that firstly it is OK to be hurt and upset and secondly, this is why you do not say mean things to people and finally that some people act out on their emotions and that BM is one of those people. Have an open and honest conversation, she is old enough to understand.
THEN, I would have your DH send BM an email or text saying 'please refrain from badmouthing my wife and an innocent 9 year old. This is causing problems for the kids at school and we will be taking it up with the school. If it continues I will file contempt charges'. A keep a record of it.
Then your DH needs to speak to SD and tell her how hurt DD was by what happened.
Your poor DD, BM is lucky you did not arrive on her doorstep!!! It certainly would have crossed my mind.
When DD first told me, my immediate thought was to confront BM at the school and make it a very public discussion. Let everyone at the school see just how heinous and wretched and what a bully BM really is. Hell, part of me still wants to. But all that's really going to do is give her more fodder for her "Poor me, I'm the victim and Jo and K's dad are out to get me".
DH is livid. Tomorrow when K is here we're sitting both girls down to hash this out. We want to be fair and give both girls a chance to say what happened. Then he's going to have a "discussion" with BM at dropoff. I feel like if BM insists on bad mouthing me, fine. But leave the kids out of it. And certainly leave the other students out of it. Because not only did DD get hurt this time, but it's going to start impacting K's friendships as well.
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That way you are sending the message that what Bm said was not ok without outright attacking Bm and putting K in the middle of a fight between dh and her.
The next time this happens K will be the first to defend her sister which is what you want to happen anyways
Standing up for yourself is not attacking. The message I would want to send to my kids is that it is OK to stand-up for yourself as long as you do it in an appropriate manner.
It is not ok to let people walk all over you.
How would DH be putting K in the middle by talking to BM? BM is the one putting K in the middle and emotionally manipulating her. Shouldn't DH stand up and defend his daughter and her relationship with her sister?
Truthfully, BM is being a bully. She's attempting to hurt others for her own personal agenda: to alienate a 9 year old girl from other students just because she dislikes me. I mean really, what has my daughter ever done to this woman to deserve being attacked by her? And what do we tell kids to do when dealing with bullies? We tell them to stand up for themselves, right? So isn't confronting BM and standing up for DD practicing what we preach?
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I also agree that K should stand up for her sister. My brother and I fought when we were younger, but if someone hurt him at school, I was running over to help him. The only thing that may prove to be a problem is if K has to guard her tongue when with BM, she may not be quick to defend DD in other situations because she's used to not speaking up. I can see K getting into trouble for defending her sister to BM.
I did read the OP correctly. I know it was the friend who said it. I just know that ODS sometimes lies very convincingly. He doesn't have a hostile parent bad mouthing everyone though.
Also Jo, in response to your other post since it's a pain to relogin to answer each post, I'll mention that I use my iPod all the time, so I don't judge the spelling mistakes. LittleJen, I sometimes laugh at your autocorrect mistakes, but I've been around about a year now... I know you can write. I think it's pretty easy to tell who is using a tablet or other autocorrect device.
It would be bad to put it into practice BUT as an idea it is kinda satisfying!!!
This. All of it. I agree 100%.
My jaw dropped when I read this. Literally. It makes me sick to my stomach. Poor little peanuts. Both of them. What a witch.
Yeah but you know K's bmom is childish, so she is immediately going to start bad mouthing your H over it in front of K, thus putting K in the middle.
Like gin said you cant control Bm (if I ever found a way I would be the first to do it) but you can control K's actions which makes Bm look even smaller. She wants to upset you and by you correcting K and simultaneously showing K what Bm is doing is sad and pathetic you kind of get the best of all worlds
We're already having issues with this, and have been for a couple years now. As my BIL phrases it, "K has figured out that BM needs her compliance more" than my husband and I need it. Meaning, K has figured out that if she just stays quiet and does what BM wants, then there's no guilt.
Examples: (1) K and DD were part of our wedding party. K was really excited about picking out her dress, then sudden;y said she didn't want to be in the wedding. We told her it was her decision, but asked why she changed her mind. She started crying and said that her mom told her if she is in our wedding then that means she doesn't love BM. We stayed true to our word and let K decide and ultimately she was part of the wedding. (2) BM said that K wanted to play soccer. My husband asked K about it and she said she wanted to do karate. BM and DH then sat down with K and asked her what she wanted to do and when she said karate, BM grounded her. (3) At drop-off BM told DH that softball signups were starting. K was standing right there and said, "but I don't want to do softball, I want to do gymnastics". BM sent K inside and then accused DH of brainwashing K. (4) When we told the kids I was pregnant, K was really excited and couldn't wait to tell all of her friends at school and her teacher. Not even 48 hours later K is upset that she's "not allowed" to talk about the baby. Apparently BM told K that us having a baby wasn't good news and that she couldn't tell people.
It's horrible and sad how that little girl is being used. I know that K should stick up for DD (just like DD sticks up for K), but I think she's been manipulated so much that she's scared to cross her mother.
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ITA w this. One thing I have learned is that you can't change crazy. You won't change bm and her antics. So why give her the fight she is wanting? Get real... She set up this situation bc she knew how you and your dh were going to react and she wants it. She thrives on the drama. So don't give her what she wants. You are both playing right into her.
I had a similar situation w exh over Xmas break. Dh and I addressed it directly w dc and it worked v well... I have no doubt that we won't see that behavior again and the discussion strengthened our relationship. The next time exh tries to pull this, I know dc will see right through it... And that is important long term. I chose not to engage w exh and it was the right decision
Standing up for yourself is good, but you have to realize what you are dealing with when someone shows you they are crazy. No matter what you do you can't change crazy. You can just drive yourself crazy trying. Don't give her what she wants! Don't play her game.
Eta and I def agree w what nine oceans said subsequently about by approaching it that way you will teach k, indirectly, that what bm is doing is sad and pathetic. That is just what happened in my instance that occurred over Xmas break... It was an added extra bonus that I didn't expect.
I agree with the above. Don't wrestle with a pig because you both get dirty and the pig loves it.
Love this!
Ugh, BM is such a witch. I wouldn't confront BM in person, I would do it over email or text - that way there's record of it.
I also agree with PPs who say that K needs to be taught not to repeat nasty things.