"This boy was eager to befriend my son and he seems nice enough-but now that we've seen him a few times, he's making me nuts. I get annoyed because the boy is always asking to come over. Usually the answer is no, because, thankfully, we're pretty busy. I've conceded and taken them on two or three play dates, and I'm learning how pushy he is. He says, "I want to go to your house after" or "Can I sleep over tonight?""
"He often texts my phone (my 8-year-old does not have one) to ask for play dates, and it's making me nuts. He's incredibly bold-even switching my radio station in the car to his preferred Christian rock without asking. His family has so many children (some foster) that I wonder if his parents are not aware of his ballsy behavior. Yet, I wonder if he gets this behavior from his mother."
An eight-year-old boy has a nearly twelve-year-old teammate who repeatedly imposes on the family's time and boundaries. The older child frequently requests play dates and sleepovers, texts the parent directly, and acts boldly by changing the car radio without permission. The older child's large, busy household and canceled parental supervision contributed to boundary breaches, and the caregiver was left covering admission and food costs. The age difference is likely to grow with puberty, making the relationship temporary. Clear limits, parental coordination, teaching the younger child to assert preferences, and arranging supervised group interactions can preserve comfort and safety.
Read at Slate Magazine
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