You can never watch over your kids too much

Let's see, Caden has had a love hate affair with the six year old neighbor. Paul and I on the other hand have had more of a "please find someone else to play with" plea since the neighbor's arrival three months ago. She always leads Caden to trouble....playing in the pond....scooping dirt close to the road...tempting him to do things he thinks he probably shouldn't do, but sees her do, so it must be ok, right? Well, today I have had it, And I hope Caden has also. He came inside screaming, I ran to the door, thinking some sort of blunt force trauma..which is normal between the two. What do I see, Caden's clothes hanging off from him, incoherently screaming. The neighbor girl, nowhere in sight. (Later to be discovered hiding in her parents' car). Was Caden crying because his clothes were cut to shreds? Maybe...but I think it was more because the assailant fled with the weapon in hand...his small green scissors. These scissors have only known nice crafting projects, not the shredding of clothes. After 30 minutes of calming Caden down, I was able to rescue the scissors and through his brand new shirt into the trash. I didn't know what to say or do when the neighbor's mother asked what was up...as I was talking to her daughter through the car window, I tried to make like it was no big deal, but what is next? She literally seems like she is out to: a. get Caden in trouble, and b. more cynically, hurt him. I hope the latter is not true, but she just doesn't play nice. I have tried to be a positive role model, but it has come to not answering the knock at the door when she asks for Caden to play. I never knew how difficult this parenting thing is. I feel inadequate, but it is not my job or position to parent other people's children. I am so glad we are house-hunting.