Playground bullies

They pick a child, they single them out, call them names, accuse them of false wrong doing, and exclude them. That's just the parents. Or rather one parent. I call her Ugly Mother because that's what she is. Ugly.

She told me I was negative, always talking about myself wailing "I've got problems too you know!" She's kept by her ex, not the State. She lives on a Crown, not a Council estate. She wishes there were more middle class parents in the school. God help it if they are anything like her.

She's repeatedly called my son a liar ever since I told her he'd sorted out problems with his friends - who happen to be her son and Media dad's. I thought the parents were mine, school gate speaking. Our boys were five years old at the time.

She told me to pull him out of the school. She said she'd tell her child not to play with mine. She snaps when my boy asks her if her's can come and play.

I don't know what she whittered to Media dad other than "three's a crowd, three's a crowd." But the next thing you know the man I'm getting on well with starts blanking me! My life in the playground suddenly mirrors my son's. It's surreal.

Still, Media dad is not ugly. He hasn't insulted my child, projected his bile onto him. He's still very gentle with him, even invited him round for a sleepover. Nothing short of a miracle I thought at the time but good for his son, for mine, for their relationship.

Children ey. What can you do? Particularly when they are in their 40's.