Kids and Their Friends

Warrior is a very popular kid.  Where every he goes he can make friends, adults and kids, fast.  He's also one of those kids that's friends with everyone.  He's able to see past the exterior and see the person on the inside.

I love this about him and it makes me proud to be his mom.

But we've been having some problems with a friend of his.  What makes it even worse is that this friend is the son of my husband's boss.  These are also the same people that are going to watch our kids for us when my husband has his transplant.

Their son, lets call him Fred, and Warrior had been friends for about a year before we moved up here.  After we moved up here they had a lot of play dates and sleep overs.  Then Warrior started hanging out with his new friends.  At first Fred didn't have any issues.But sometime over the last 3 years Warrior started to grow up.  He's almost 13, but is very mature, well at times, for his age.  His friend hasn't really grown up.  He's still very immature and throws tantrums if things don't go his way.

We've witnessed a lot of these tantrums lately because he doesn't "approve" of some of Warrior's friends.

We have a rule in our house that all plans for play dates or sleep overs have to be made a week before.  This makes it easier on me, especially trying to fit in pick up or drop off times.  A few weekends ago we, as a family, took a Donate Life training course.  That same weekend Fred and his family were going out of town and asked if Warrior could go along.  We explained to them that we had signed up for this course, so Warrior couldn't go.  The next few days were very difficult because whenever Warrior saw Fred at school Fred made a point of yelling at Warrior because he wouldn't go with him for the weekend.

Well Fred, finds out that Warrior is going over to so and so's house, and he comes running up to tell me that him and Warrior had plans and Warrior is ignoring them.  He only seems to do this with a certain few friends.

Then when ever Fred and Warrior do hang out, Fred spends the entire time trying to tell Warrior why he shouldn't be friends with so and so.  By the time I pick Warrior off, he's so upset he can't even see straight.

I feel bad because Warrior is really Fred's only friend, but Warrior is about fed up with him.  Warrior has tried to talk to his friend about the way he acts, and it doesn't ever seem to sink in.   I've tried talking to the parents and they don't want to hear it.

We're trying to keep the peace because not only are these people my husband's bosses, but they are also our landlords.  We've talked to my mother in law about coming up to watch the kids while my husband has the transplant, but I still feel we need to keep the peace.

I just don't know how that's going to happen when Warrior finally has it and ends the friendship with Fred altogether.