Re: Dear Abby

Not having children, I still want to throw in my two cents worth. I agree with Jenafer because now is the time to start teaching Ezra that although he sees other kids acting that way, the expectation is he should not. Eventually, in the not to distant future, you will not have the choice to keep Ezra away from those kids (i.e. school) and then, hopefully, Erza will have already learned how unacceptable it is to follow those kinds of behaviors. I know this will be harder in the immediately future, but hopefully, worth it in the end. Trust me, I deal with parents all the time who want me to stop the influence of other kids on their own, and there is only so much a teacher can do. The responsibility, in the end, lies in the child's decision about their own behavior and their ability to accept the consequences. Eventually, of course, there won't be parents or teachers around to enforce it. Agency and it's consequences are best taught early.