So, I’m a friend friend of the family. 9 yo and 6 yo sweet girls. They fight all the time, as sisters of this age are wont to do. Have heard things like: “I hate my sister” and “I wish I didn’t have a sister”, but this one is new.
Overheard 9 year old say to her friend that: “Mommy has pills in her bathroom, I want to take them and put them in her (6 yo sis) food”.
Something I should mention to parents or ignore as silly kid talk?
How seriously did you interpret the statement? How do you think her mom will react if you tell her?
I would definitely say something to the mother. That is frightening.
Yes, I think I would say something. The kid should not be able to get to, or even know about the pills anyway.
The fact that the kid has formulated a plan, get pills from here and put them there, is line that has been crossed.
Tell the mom.
Yeah, it’s better to err on the side of more caution with this one. No need to be alarmist, but better to pass it on.
Yes you should. My friends kids playmate came up to me and said he was planning to kill one of his friends and make it look like an accident. They were about nine or ten. He told me which friend, and why - the kid was not as strong as him. I called the mother of the kid over (not the mother of the would be murderer) and asked him to repeat what he’d said. She poo pooed the idea as kids bullshit.
Fast forward - the same child the boy wanted to kill died. Drowned while they were all jumping off rocks. Apparently he “hit his head” on that of another kid on the way down. Who was the other kid? The would be murderer. The body was found wedged under the rocks. The families all declared it an accident.
Yes, after being ratted out, she’ll know to keep her plans to herself next time. Perhaps plans that involve a certain nosy “friend of the family”.
Seriously though, while it’s probably nothing, a nine year old should know better. Tell the mom.
Also - the kid should not have access to dangerous medication at the very least.
Say something even if it’s if only so the mother knows to secure her pills.
If the kid had said “I know where Daddy’s gun is…” wouldn’t you tell the guy to get a safe or at least a trigger lock.
Major déjà vu happening here. Have you told us this story before?
OP: Yes, tell the mom. I don’t even know why this is a question!
Something has to be said, but it’s still important to keep it in context and make sure not to panic the mom. This could just be something the girl heard another girl say at school. I hope it all turns out well. At a minimum this little girl needs to start measuring her words, I’m not sure but I think at 9 years old kids don’t clearly understand the repercussions of idle threats.
REDRUM!
REDRUM!
REDRUM!
Yes, I would tell the mother.
Yeah I was leaning toward telling the parents. I don’t want to sound alarmist, and I do feel a bit weird getting involved, also don’t want to sound preachy. The tone of the statement was definitely inline with other angry moment outbursts like the “I wish I never had a SISTER!!!” I hear from them both, nothing super sinister in the way it was said, it’s WHAT she said that concerned me. The specifics of using mommy’s pills, and yes that’s the big concern here, she shouldn’t know about or have access to those, IMHO.
I’ll mention it in as casual, breezy way as I can, while emphasizing that they should probably make sure the kids can’t get into the medicine cabinets.
Don’t don’t be casual or alarmist, be matter of fact. Tell the parent what you overheard, and that the specificity of the plan is what made it more than a nothing statement.
Regards,
-Bouncer-
Yes, you should tell. It is too specific to overlook.
Question – why didn’t you say something to the child herself when you overheard it?
I teach 9-year-olds, have taught a few hundred, and have never heard something that simultaneously specific and violent. Tell mom, and you can be alarmist.
I think LHoD just gave some really valuable input here, that this is truly unusual behavior. The impetus for telling may have now moved from, “making sure pills are hidden,” to “getting this nine-year-old evaluated by a psychiatrist.”
Yes, you definitely should. Kids can do pretty stupid things, and besides parents should know that their kids know how to access to potentially dangerous drugs.