‘I don’t want my 6yo son playing with the boy from social housing’

“He is always unkept, no shoes, no helmet and I have seen him down at the local shops attempting to steal.”

Is the dad just looking out for his son? Source: iStock

As a parent, you do everything you can to give your kids the tools they need to stay safe, make sensible choices and be good people.

At some point, you’ve done all you can and you’re left with the hope your child has everything they need as you sit on the sidelines and watch them tackle the game of life for themselves.

But one father is grappling with a weighty decision that has left him at a moral crossroads.

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Am I the A**hole?

On the ever-popular Reddit thread, Am I the A*sshole (AITA)? A dad has posted a current predicament he finds himself in, “AITA for not letting my son hang out with a certain local child?” he started.

“We love where we live, our son has only just started to go out into our culdesac to play with neighbouring kids without us needing to be out there (6yo),” he continued.

“Except a child from around the corner in one of the social housing places has recently joined in (social housing is the name for government issued housing to those who rely on welfare).” 

The dad added, “He is always unkept, no shoes, no helmet, walking into other people's yards. The mum is always heard screaming at the kids. I have seen the kids down at the local shops attempting to steal. They are often out in the street after dark.”

He then revealed the root of his concern, “My son is easily influenced, hence we run a pretty tight ship here, and I have no idea what this kid has been exposed to and could share with my child or influence my child to do/say.

“I told my wife I don’t want him around with that family…. she said that is horrible to judge a child and isolate a child and that there is no way we could justify telling our son why he can’t see him.”

“I grew up just like that kid, and I was a menace,” he concluded.

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Is the dad just looking out for his son? Source: iStock

An absolute roasting

The comments section of the post, which has received more than 100 responses, has absolutely roasted the dad, labelling him the a**hole in this scenario.

“It sounds like that child is probably struggling a lot and just wants to play with other kids.

One exclaimed, “You’re judging a child for a situation that’s outside of their control. They can’t help it if their family is poor!”

Another commented, “Imagine if you would have had a friend who was a good influence on you.

“Imagine the role model you’re being to your own child to teach them to grow up and exclude people like you.”

One encouraged the dad, “How about you be a human and give the kid some shoes? Give him some food so he doesn't have to steal it at the store.”

A teacher added, “Being poor does not equal being a bad person.”

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Social housing in Australia

Social housing in Australia refers to homes provided by the government to people who have difficulty affording their own accommodation. 

As of June 2022, about 418,400 households were living in these government-provided homes. 

While the number of households in public housing has gone down, the number in community housing has increased significantly. 

However, despite this, the overall proportion of these government-provided homes compared to all homes in Australia has been decreasing.

Many people living in these homes have low incomes, and a good number have lived in their homes for more than ten years. 

There are also long waiting lists for people who need these homes but haven't been able to get one yet.

While efforts are being made to help more people get affordable housing, it's clear that there are still challenges ahead in ensuring that everyone has a safe and comfortable place to live.

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At what age do you worry about your kids' friends being a bad influence? Source: iStock

Judged unfairly?

While I can’t help by agree with the comments left on the thread, I can definitely empathise with the dad.

I can’t blame him for feeling worried about his son, who he mentioned is easily influenced, falling into the ‘wrong crowd’. 

That being said, just because you’re born into a particular socio-economic class doesn’t automatically label you as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person.

I sent the thread to a couple of friends and got their opinion.

“You can’t help but worry about the people who your kids grow up with,” said Jenna from Rydalmere.

“If there are instances of theft, I would keep my kid far away.”

Jeffrey from Roseville added, “I grew up in social housing, and I felt worse about other people's judgement than the fact that I had to live there.”

Simon from Wollongong said, “I can see both sides, but I think it’s really important not to shelter your kids from the harsh realities of life otherwise, they’ll grow up in bubble wrap.”

Is there a right or wrong way to approach this?

I’m not sure.

Originally published as ‘I don’t want my 6yo son playing with the boy from social housing’