AITA for saying my daughter’s friend’s dad “likes me”

I (53f) am a single mother and have a daughter, Rue (12f) who’s best friend Fay (12f) lives just a couple streets away in our neighborhood. Fay is at our house what feels like ever day, and they are very close, though I am not myself super close with Fay’s parents.

To spare you too much reading, let me highlight just a few key points I feel add needed context to this situation before getting into the comment in question.

-Fay is usually able to walk home from our house since she is close, but gets picked up by her mom or dad occasionally when weather is bad or they are going straight to cheer practice/ dinner/ an event etc.

-When Fay’s mother picks her up she will just pull up outside and send an “I’m here” text and wait for Fay to come out. This is also what all the other parents do.

-Fay’s father and I have only ever shared a couple texts between us (always about the girls) before all communication was changed to a group text with both him and Fay’s mom in it. He later told me in person “sorry, my wife just doesn’t like me texting other women without her.”

-One of the only other times I have talked to Fay’s father is when I ran into him at a school function and the talk turned to tennis. I mentioned “we should go play sometime” (as in take the girls to go play) and he responded with “yeah I bet you are great with balls.” Ew.

-When Fay’s father comes to pick her up, he does not wait outside and send a text like all the other parents. No, he walks into my house, silently, and stands there. Usually by the front of the living room, which is also where the entrance to my bedroom is. On multiple occasions I have walked out in my pajamas and been scared half to death by the man silently standing in my home. It’s disturbing. It makes me feel uncomfortable and honestly, unsafe. The most recent time this happened, I was in my pajamas and watching tv in my bedroom. I hear the door open but Rue and Fay were downstairs already. I hear him ask “is your mom home?” And Rue says yes, she’s in her room asleep. He says he doesn’t believe her, and I hear him walking towards my bedroom door saying “I’ll just check” before Rue tells him to wait and runs into my room, she whispers “hand me your phone” and runs back out with it saying “here, see, why would she be gone with her phone here?” He accepts this and leaves with Fay.

So, the day after this most recent event, I’m talking to one of my other daughters, Marie (28f) and while I’m telling her about this I make a comment “I guess he just likes me or something.” Not really clocking that Rue was near and listening. Today, Rue just out of the blue says “Fay’s dad doesn’t like you by the way” because she brought the comment up to Fay… Now I’m freaking out because I don’t know what kind of awkward tension or drama this will cause with Fay’s view of me and especially if it gets back to her parents. AITA for making the comment? Was it out of line enough to blow up or am I overthinking this entire thing and letting my anxiety get to me??

EDIT TO ADD: I do in fact have a lock on my front door. It is a code lock, the girls know it. It auto locks itself after a minute so the door is ALWAYS locket. I’m not sure if they have told the dad the code. I do know that on some occasions Fay has come down when she was not quite ready, let him in, and run back upstairs. He does not announce himself, he does not stay by the door. He gets let in and the silently floats his way over towards my room down the hall and stands there.

14 thoughts on “AITA for saying my daughter’s friend’s dad “likes me””
  1. NTA but the dad is absolutely crossing so many boundaries and is an absolute creep. Who the hell just walks into someone’s house and stands there silently?? And this happened multiple times????? Serial killer vibes lol

  2. NTA for the comment. It’s not all that bad. have you brought up to this guy how uncomfortable he’s making you though because that’s just weird and not okay. He needs to get out of your house.

  3. 1. Why do you have your door unlocked for people to just walk in?
    2. Why don’t you tell him not to just walk in and knock like a normal person? Tell him he must be LET IN BY YOU to enter the home.

    He does sound creepy and those are reasons enough to lock the door. Let him knock like a normal person and make sure Faye is ready to leave on time so she can just run out.

  4. ESH

    Your A H behavior is neither locking your door nor confronting this man about his actions. 

    Like, your safety is one thing but you have minor children in the house, why are you so causal about their safety?

    I grew up in a small town with a single mom and we used locks because she did not want to make it easy for someone to snatch her kid. And she didn’t let creepers walk all over her and shrug, I guess he just likes me!

    Girl.  

  5. NTA. He’s being super creepy.

    He might not “like” you specifically, from a kid’s perspective. Sounds like he does this to other women too.

    His wife not wanting to him texting other women 1v1 is a red flag.

    He doesn’t knock or ring your door bell? Just lets himself in? Very odd behaviour.

    Maybe ask him to wait in the car and text when he’s here, like the other parents do.

  6. ESH. Him…obviously. You, lock your door. Set boundaries with this man. Don’t let your 12 year old daughter run interference when you’re in your room. Get up and ask him to wait outside while Fay gets her things together. Ball sack up, woman. You have yourself and a daughter to protect.

    1. >Don’t let your 12 year old daughter run interference

      THANK YOU. I can’t believe this is the first comment I’ve seen that’s flagged this. Why is OP acting so nonchalant about this? She mentions in another comment that it’s a code lock so one of the kids might have given it to him. THEN GET A DEADBOLT. Keep this man out of your house. Stop letting your daughter witness you underreacting to this behavior. “He must like me.” *No ma’am this is not normal behavior*.

  7. INFO: Why have you not asked/told Fay’s dad to wait outside until he is let in by you? It appears that you are enabling/encouraging this behavior.

    1. A text to the group chat with his wife should clear up this problem real fast. “[Faye’s Dad] I’d really appreciate it if you’d wait outside and just send a text when you’re picking Faye up. I’m sure you don’t mean anything by it, but I’m just a little jumpy when I find people right outside my bedroom door and I don’t even realize they’re in my house! Thanks!”

  8. NTA because you didn’t say it to the children, but a child, unfortunately, overheard. This may get back to Fay’s parents, who sound like they already have trust issues so, I wouldn’t be surprised if you receive a text from the Mom.

    Fay’s Dad’s behavior is SO intrusive and creepy, though. You need to start locking your door. You should also say something to him about his inappropriate behavior. Not surprised the wife doesn’t want him texting anyone.

  9. ESH you for writing off obviously creepy behavior as “oh he just likes me” like GIRL you have a daughter to protect, put the creep in his place. Don’t make jokes about it. How would you feel if someone did this to your daughter and she wrote it off as “he just likes me so its okay that he makes me uncomfortable.”

    Be a better role model for your kid.

    Him for obviously being a creep.

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