Operation Laine Just Say No

Not to drugs but to getting bossed. Get ready, this is a long story and I need your help.

There is a girl in Laine's class, we'll call her Layla. Layla is a teacher's kid, her mother is someone that thinks she is the greatest thing ever and has taught her daughter to think the same way. Layla has a reputation that precedes her and is a parent appointed princess with an attitude. One day, we invited Layla to stay after school with us and go get ice cream. I let them play in the gym and stayed out of thier business. Well, what I discovered is that Layla has a very sly way of manipulating. She makes everything that she wants to do seem like it's the greatest idea ever made, she's just like her mother. We have also found out through Laine that she tells HUGE stories, I finally called them lies to Laine the other day because that is what they are. All her stories are told to make herself seem cooler, like she went backstage at the Hannah MOntana concert or that another girl in class has red eyes when she goes to home center.

That's the background.

Laine thinks Layla hung the moon. She is the only one in her class that will play with Layla because everyone has caught on to her. She talks about Layla all the time.

We have had several conversations with Laine about how she needs to play with lots of friends instead of just Layla. I've told her to tell Layla no when she wants to do something Laine doesn't want to do. We've told Laine not to believe everything Layla says. I held out hope that Laine would get tired of Layla and move on to someone else. She hasn't.

So, we are at the precipice of doing something I really never thought I would say to my child and that is: You cannot be around Layla, you cannot play with her.

That really goes against my morals. As Christians aren't we to be kind to everyone, I know you can be kind to someone and not be thier friend, I just don't think a 5 year old can discern that yet. I want Laine to be a kid that is kind to everyone. But more than that I don't want her to be a doormat, I know Layla wants to play with Laine because Laine will go along with whatever she wants to do and that is wrong. Laine needs to learn that a real friend will do what YOU want to do sometimes and not always want her own way. I want her to know that she is better than getting bossed aroud. Dangit, I want her to stand up for herself and not get bossed around.

I do have Laine's teacher on my side. Even she has a hard time liking Layla. She will tell Laine she can't play with Layla if she sees they are spending too much time together. I found out today that another kid in Laine's class has been told she can't play with Layla (from her own mother).

Any thought? Suggestions?