I've been acquaintance-friends with this woman I'll call Mel for over 4 years. Her brother is best friends with my husband, and her daughter is best friends with my daughter. I used to work with Mel's mother & Mel's mother and children live only a few houses down from me. Well, a couple weeks back Mel posted pictures online of herself bloody & bruised from being beat by her boyfriend. She left him. Then a couple days ago, Mel posted online that she was thinking about going back to him. I gave her the phone # for a support group for domestic violence victims/safe house. They help women realize they have other options, and encourage women to not go back. Mel became extremely irate, and said if I was going to get in her business, she was going to get into mine.
She then went on a social networking site (where she has over 1400 "friends"), and alleged that my 9 year old daughter was providing alcohol and cigarettes (and possibly drugs?!) to the neighborhood children, and that Mel's daughter was banned from hanging out with my daughter as a result.
I should mention Mel does not have custody of her daughter. Mel's mother is adopting the kids because Mel lost her children due to another domestic violence situation a few years ago (with a DIFFERENT man). Mel has extremely limited visitation. Mel's mother has a restraining order against Mel's boyfriend.
I took my daughter down to Mel's mother's house, which is only a few houses down, to find out where these allegations were coming from. I mean, if there was something to it, I'd want to know! But, considering my daughter is never out of my sight when here, I figured the entire thing was BS. Suffice it to say, Mel made the whole thing up. Mel, an almost 30 year old woman, started a rumor about my 9 year old daughter on a social networking website!!!! I won't lie... I'm upset.
Mel's mother doesn't have a problem with our girls hanging out. We had a pleasant conversation, and there doesn't seem to be a problem there.
However, how can an adult go on a social networking site and start rumors about a CHILD?! These rumors can have lasting repercussions, and ruin my daughter's social life. All I did was provide Mel with a phone #.
I haven't posted any responses to the allegations on the social networking site. In fact, Mel is now blocked. My friends who know her say I shouldn't be too worried, because everybody's aware she's just making up rumors (except maybe some of those gossipy moms who I wouldn't want my daughter hanging out with their kids anyways). Supposedly, most of the allegations Mel made about my daughter have already been deleted from the social networking website. There is now only vague references to the rumors. But, they were up for almost 24 hours before being taken down.
*sigh*
I'm frustrated because I tried to do what I felt was the right thing, and now my daughter could possibly suffer.
My daughter is aware that Mel said these things, and she was extremely upset at first. She feels better now that I settled things with Mel's mother. I have a playdate set up tomorrow, so my daughter can play with some other kids whose parents I adore.
I don't think there's much else I can do, except avoid Mel, encourage my daughter's other friendships, and mind my own business completely in the future, even if it is just trying to help an acquaintance-friend in need. Does anybody have any other suggestions?
She then went on a social networking site (where she has over 1400 "friends"), and alleged that my 9 year old daughter was providing alcohol and cigarettes (and possibly drugs?!) to the neighborhood children, and that Mel's daughter was banned from hanging out with my daughter as a result.
I should mention Mel does not have custody of her daughter. Mel's mother is adopting the kids because Mel lost her children due to another domestic violence situation a few years ago (with a DIFFERENT man). Mel has extremely limited visitation. Mel's mother has a restraining order against Mel's boyfriend.
I took my daughter down to Mel's mother's house, which is only a few houses down, to find out where these allegations were coming from. I mean, if there was something to it, I'd want to know! But, considering my daughter is never out of my sight when here, I figured the entire thing was BS. Suffice it to say, Mel made the whole thing up. Mel, an almost 30 year old woman, started a rumor about my 9 year old daughter on a social networking website!!!! I won't lie... I'm upset.
Mel's mother doesn't have a problem with our girls hanging out. We had a pleasant conversation, and there doesn't seem to be a problem there.
However, how can an adult go on a social networking site and start rumors about a CHILD?! These rumors can have lasting repercussions, and ruin my daughter's social life. All I did was provide Mel with a phone #.
I haven't posted any responses to the allegations on the social networking site. In fact, Mel is now blocked. My friends who know her say I shouldn't be too worried, because everybody's aware she's just making up rumors (except maybe some of those gossipy moms who I wouldn't want my daughter hanging out with their kids anyways). Supposedly, most of the allegations Mel made about my daughter have already been deleted from the social networking website. There is now only vague references to the rumors. But, they were up for almost 24 hours before being taken down.
*sigh*
I'm frustrated because I tried to do what I felt was the right thing, and now my daughter could possibly suffer.
My daughter is aware that Mel said these things, and she was extremely upset at first. She feels better now that I settled things with Mel's mother. I have a playdate set up tomorrow, so my daughter can play with some other kids whose parents I adore.
I don't think there's much else I can do, except avoid Mel, encourage my daughter's other friendships, and mind my own business completely in the future, even if it is just trying to help an acquaintance-friend in need. Does anybody have any other suggestions?
I'd be livid if someone did that to my dd. 
I bet there are a few who did believe it, but since they don't know your dd (or they wouldn't have believed it) they don't matter.
