WE’VE FALLEN OUT OVER KIDS

Dear Coleen

I’ve fallen out with my friend over something so silly.

My daughter didn’t invite her daughter to a birthday party and it’s just escalated to the point where my friend isn’t talking to me.

Our kids, who are both eight years old, used to get along quite well, but since they’ve got older, my daughter doesn’t see eye to eye with the other girl and they’ve since made different friends.

She was adamant she didn’t want her at her party. I do feel awkward about it but, at the same time, it’s my daughter’s choice after all.

Coleen says

I think you just have to have a conversation about it. Tell your friend you feel bad about it, but you can’t decide your daughter’s party list for her and you won’t be offended not to get an invite to her daughter’s birthday.

The thing is, you can’t force kids to get on. They’re much more honest than we are when it comes to stuff like this.

If we don’t really like someone, we’ll go all round the houses making excuses, but kids just come out and say it. I had a similar situation when my boys were young and my older son demanded to come home from a sleepover with my friend’s son.

She was mortally offended that I picked him up and we nearly fell out over it.

I told her in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t going to fall out over two eight-year-olds!