HELP

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I'm grown and an old lady already but I want to ask you kids to help my niece.
While my niece and her friend/classmate were standing in line to go into another class, her friend says to her, "Can you back up a little, I can feel you breathing on me". Would this insult you guys? What is your response to this? My niece now hates this girl and wants nothing to do with her. I feel that the girl should have said nothing and backed up herself.

It depends. If the other girl herself had room to move out of the way, without impeding on the personal space of another, then what she said was rude as she should have just moved herself.

If she had no place to move to, yet your niece did, then it was not unreasonable for her to ask your niece move. She could have requested it in more of a tactful way, however most adults don't know how to do this, let alone most children.

Its simple: Chances are, if this girl considered your niece a friend, she would have either said nothing or said it in a nicer way. She didn't consider your niece a friend, so she felt no need to be polite. Maybe your niece WAS too close to her, but we forgive our friends for things we don't forgive others for. So basically, this girl announced to your niece (and everyone in earshot) "I'm not your friend." Even if you didn't WANT to be someone's friend, it's rather off putting to be told, in no uncertain terms, that you definitely AREN'T someones. I'd say this is why your niece hates her now.

I wouldn't give a crap. If someone was breathing directly onto me I'd probably tell them to move up a bit too. It isn't unreasonable.

agreed

I don't like it when people breathe on me either. I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I don't think that is anything that should be a big deal.

It's really nothing. I would have been a little upset maybe, but if it was a friend then chances are there was no offense meant and your niece really was just standing a bit close. If she snapped it then there are many reasons why, maybe she was in a bad mood etc etc. It's definitely not a reason to not talk to somebody ever again.

If there was room for the girl to move but she didn't, or if she thought your niece hadn't noticed that she should move, it was probably fine, although she could have been more polite.

If (for example), the girl had already moved away but your niece had moved closer (not saying she did this, but some people do, whether consciously invading someone's space or not), then I would definitely have snapped at her, if only to get her away from me.

If the girl was somewhat far away from your niece, she was just being rude.