manners matter part 2

not that this post has as much to do with manners alone but I refer to my previous post and the child involved.

she's back

for a week this time

and with avengence

definitely no sign of good manners or good behaviour for that matter

she, her mother and grandmother are staying at my MIL's, I had pre-warned MIL about this little girl's previous behaviour and she has stayed true to form.... perhaps worse

MIL is extremely unimpressed and I am guessing rueing the day she offered to have them stay (all in the name of doing the right thing)

I will blog more about this no doubt but for now I will just say this... I am hurting for Miss 5. This child has effectively bullied Miss 5 and unfortunately her attitude seems to have stemmed from her mother.

MIL whispered to me last night that the mum had mentioned (making excuses for her kid's awful tantrum) that she was feeling left out because she was smarter than Miss 5 and wanted to read Miss 5 a story at bedtime (Miss 5 was staying over and didn't want to get into bed with this kid who had demanded she do it, because Miss 5 is used to sleeping upstairs with her Nan). MIL was livid and I was left unimpressed.... perhaps it was a case of a poor choice of words by the mum but what was said was said and hurtful words like that have a tendency to stick around.

Today MIL was left stuck with horrendo-kid and Miss 5 while the mum and grandma went shopping, horrendo-kid threw a few tantrums but MIL wouldn't have a bar of it (good for her) so she turned her aggression towards Miss 5. Taunting her that she wasn't as smart or bright or good as her because she couldn't read etc etc. MIL told me she saw the cogs turning in Miss 5's mind as she obvoiusly was thinking "well what she says is true, I can't read yet", it broke my heart to hear this.

These people have no idea of Miss 5's capabilities (and she already shows enormous academic promise as well as great social skills and that's not just a proud biased mum talking) and yet they have made such broad and hurtful assumptions.

Impossibly the 2 girls went on to play nice as pie again, it baffles me. Seriously!

I am infinitely glad we only see these people once or twice a year and I get the feeling later down the track when Miss 5 becomes more sure of herself she'll avoid contact with this girl. I definitely won't be pursuing or prolonging the link that's for sure.

More later...