This is going to be long...
My husband's brother and his wife split up a while ago. The ex-wife (and the dad, actually) both have quite the temper, but since the dad has remarried, his new wife has been a wonderful influence on both him and the boys, who are 12 and 13. After much deliberation, the boys decided they would be happier living with their dad and moved in with him over Christmas.
The mother was understandably upset. However, she is handling it so poorly. We are friends on FB and she is constantly ranting about how horrible her kids are for abandoning her. Her family has taken it upon themselves to start harrassing the boys, telling them that they are wrong for moving away and that they should return "home". This very public argument has continued, one sided, for a couple months now (the boys or their father never retaliated). However, last night, after months of being harrassed online (and the things said about them were very very rude- they were called "little $hits", big meanies, and insults were thrown around about their dad), the 13 year old finally retaliated by saying "We are not coming home, we are much happier here, we do not deserve the things that are being said to us". They are in a new school and apparently are doing much better in school (they had serious serious attendance and behavioural issues in school before). They also lived on a reserve as the mother is First Nations and becase they boys don't look FN, they were apparently teased for looking too white and were very unhappy where they were.
Anyways, now people are responding to the 13 year old boy's comment, saying that he shouldn't be acting so immature by posting this online, that their mother wants them home, etc. And yet all of these people supported their mother during her many online rants...
I'm so disgusted. One person called the mother on her behaviour and she freaked out, saying that no one had the right to judge her. I'm just so hurt on behalf of these kids who don't deserve the horrible things that are being said about them publically. I want to tell the mom to shut it but I know she won't listen. The sad thing is that she'll end up alienating her kids completely, if she hasn't already.
Re: Vent about people who are rude to kids
I would have to respond to his comments that since the 13 year old isn't the one calling people names and insulting others on FB he isn't the immature one here.
Just because someone is 13 doesn't mean they can't make a good decision.
I totally agree... and even if he was being immature- he's 13! He's allowed to be immature. His mother is supposed to be the mature role model...
I agree with pp. It's crazy that, when adult get caught up in this nonsense, they seem to have no regard for the feelings of the kids involved. Cudos to their son that he stood up for himself!
Baby #2: Surprise BFP 9.19.12, EDD 5.24.13, natural m/c 10.19.13 at 9w
That's an excellent point, I'd definitely be taking screen shots of these comments and ensuring our lawyer had a copy.
and you just know that when these kids completely cut off their Mom and her family they are going to blame it all on their Dad and his new wife.
Sucky situation.
Ugh, thats horrible!
My nephew had to deal with something similair with his dad and dads relatives harrassing him online. My sister (his mom) took screen shots of it all and sent it to her lawyer. The lawyer simply drafted a letter to each of the relatives involved telling them this behaviour is grounds for visitation rights with that side of the family to be completely removed if the unacceptable behaviour didn't stop asap.
It worked. No child should ever have to go threw that.
I would find it hard not to get involved in that, but I have learnt to stay out of other peoples business.