Monday, November 17, 2008

Help a blogger out....

After all the parenting tips I have so generously given to you all, I have decided to now give you the opportunity to give me a tip. Ella has been having a few problems this year (at the beginning) with making friends. Lately she has been talking about who she plays with and the list seems long, so I just assumed the problem was over with. Today she came in and was telling me she had a job as a maid. I knew it wasn't with me, so I asked her what she was meaning. She said her friend at school hired her to be her maid, but it was ok because for payment, Ella gets to play with this girl at recess. I asked her what sorts of things she does as a maid. She said it was super easy, she just had to do whatever this girl told her to do, like "rub her back". She is telling me all this stuff like it is great news. Do I just leave it alone? It kind of bugs me. This is what I keep picturing. (Her "boss" would be the girl on the far right)

16 comments:

ManicMandee said...

Oooh that would make me so mad! I would want to do something about it. But I am not sure what. Let us know!

Hazel said...

I seriously was that girl from about 2nd grade until those two girls moved. They would make fun of my hair, not that I blame them, and the one girl had the nerve to call me up, on a regular basis to invite me over. Her name was Rachelle. When i would get to her house, her mom would tell me that she couldn't play until she cleaned her room. Rachelle would ask if I wanted to help so we could play sooner, and then she would close the door and watch me clean up. I am sure her mom thought i just showed up all the time. I never went once without an invitation.
I seriously talked about it in therapy (am harboring just a bit of resentment), but over all, I think it made me a better person. A total pushover, but a better person.
Hazel loves Ella, and they can be best friends. That way if you say something and it makes things worse for Ella, she has someone that really likes her, for who she is, to talk about it with.
I don't know what you should do. When it was happening to me, I knew I would come out ok, but if it was happening to my kids I might just flip out.

Pearl Girl said...

That is SO hard. It seems like kids grow up and so do their problems, I would find out who the nice girls in the class and invite them over, maybe just kinda guide her in the right direction.

Emily said...

Wow. I think my first reaction woulod be to be mad, then I would tell Ella to demand monitary payment in exchange for her "maid services." It's only fair.

Memzy said...

Oh boy. I've had this kinda stuff come up with my kids and I've been worried sick about it. Then I am reminded (either by myself or my super smart hubby) how we went through the exact same kind of stuff growing up. I could tell you stories! And the thing I remember the most about how my parents dealt with it (which was good) was that they were understanding, good listeners, and I always knew I had a safe haven at home.

Elder Jack Anderson said...

You obviously befriend the girl's mother & then make HER your maid.

Anonymous said...

Im gonna admit, I didnt read the blog but just checked out the pic...luv luv that movie, hate lidsay Lohan but luv that movie! so freakin funny so when we talk, maybe you can tell me all about the post..super then?? Ok good bye bye have a super night and keep it up blah blah blah

Anonymous said...

oh and Katie, lets keep the comments to a 5 page paragraph umph ok bye now ah huh

E said...

I have to admit, I don't ever read your blog because it's so incredibly boring.(<--said like the popular girl from Mean Girls)

Anyway, poor Ella! If those are her friends, I don't want to meet her enemies in a dark alley. You should pack Ella some super fancy lunch with all deserts or something so she can rub it in their faces. And I know for sure you'll be telling those little girls off the first chance you get...

Hot Pants said...

I was gonna say Jenny, Erin is totally the girl on the far right. And I am feeling free to write whatever I want about her cuz she'll never read it. Woooo, what a feeling of total freedom!!!!

I am VERY good at telling kids off, but, Ella is sooooo happy about this whole thing, I feel bad. I think I will show up at the next class party and find the girls mom and say, "Oh, nice to meet you. Our girls play together at school. You know the funniest thing, Ella says your daughter makes her be her maid if she wants to be able to play with her. I told her she must be mistaken because only a total a**hole would make a kid do that. And only a total A**HOLE parent would allow it to go on. So, nice meeting you."

Markie23 said...

I saw a 60 minutes report on hotel maids who rinse out the hotel cups with spit and a dirty rag, and steal personal items from the room. So yeah... tell Ella to go ahead and be her maid.

eekareek said...

I never used hotel cups that are not srink wrapped in plastic.

Ella need to secretly steal all of her friends behind her back, tell her boyfriend that she is cheating on him, make a burn book, and feed that girl caltean bars to make her fat, and then at the end push her in front of a bus (if she doesn't, I will). Let me know how it goes :)!!

Cristin said...

I hate mean girls! I would gently tell Ella that being somebodies maid in exchange for friendship is really not a good deal.....then I would go beat up the girl and her parents for being such a brat...ok maybe I wouldn't but I'd day dream about it. I don't know what to tell ya, we've dealt with some bratty kids and I just ground them from our house and encourage our kids to play with some other kids.

Julie said...

Did the teacher know this was going on??

Anna B said...

Tell Ella to give the girl her two weeks notice but then just quit the next day. That'll show her.

Meri Kay said...

Great Comments. I would probably do something! I don't know what so I am no good at giving advice. I have several children who aren't very socially accepted and haven't got them figured out yet. Sorry I am no help.
Have a Great Turkey Day!!