Comments on: Bullying at school

By: Giving up homeschooling: starting school — notes from home

Giving up homeschooling: starting school — notes from home — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:29:43 +0000

[...] have gone back to our local village school, the one we removed Harry from two years ago after problems with bullying. Harry is now quite old enough, big enough and confident enough to hold his own in the playground [...]

By: Giving up homeschooling: starting school - most | least

Giving up homeschooling: starting school - most | least — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:40:44 +0000

[...] have gone back to our local village school, the one we removed Harry from two years ago after problems with bullying and the head’s dealing with it. Harry is now quite old enough, big enough and confident [...]

By: Mel

Mel — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 03:56:24 +0000

That is so sad! Your poor baby! I hope the teachers step up and take some action with these boys that are doing this. You must feel so helpless. I’ve often wondered how I’ll handle situations like this in the future. Mine are only two now, but already one of mine gets picked on by other kids because he’s so sensitive and shy. I want nothing more than to protect him, but at the same time I want to teach him to stand up for himself. It’s hard!

By: Melanie

Melanie — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 15:48:22 +0000

I’m so sorry you’ve had to deal with this. I hope you’re able to come up with a fitting solution. hugs.

By: mad muthas

mad muthas — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:14:20 +0000

your poor sweet little boy! i fell like coming over there right now and giving those little stinkers my hardest fiercest look – and believe me it’s pretty fierce! my kids were both picked on at various times in primary school – kids can be incredibly cruel and manipulative – even from the earliest age, so don’t be fobbed off. trying (quite hard) to find anything at all positive in this, i’ve never met anyone worth a damn who wasn’t picked on in school – i reckon the bullies are the ones who end up leading dull, pitiful lives – because they have absolutely no capacity for empathy or openness. big hugs for harry – and send him love from two big 12-year-old twins – a boy and a girl (and their mum)

By: gina

gina — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 03:43:53 +0000

Hello, I just discovered your blog and I just want to hug you! I’m sorry you are going through this. I was just commenting about this on another blog. This is sooooo hard! My son, who will eleven next week, had the same thing happen to him. He was just such a sweet and good boy. And he just couldn’t fathom fighting like that. What worked for us was moving him to a private school for a couple of years. It was very hard on us financially, but the smaller class suited him. And since we were paying we could raise holy hell if we thought there was a problem and they fixed it. My son really loved it. We have since moved him over to a public school and he is doing great. He’s still a quiet kid, but he has a lot more confidence. I am so hopeful that you feel good about his situation soon!

By: karrie

karrie — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 19:45:09 +0000

Hi Ella,

I’m commenting here since the newer post is closed,but based on what you have written, and obviously not knowing any ‘backstory’ I think I would send him back to preschool for another year. He is only 4, right? At that age, I would want school to be mostly a social experience, and not a source of stress or fear.

I hope you’re able to get some rest and support so whatever decision you make feels like the right one.

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 04:34:42 +0000

Oh Ella, my heart is just breaking for your little man, and you. I remember not long after Gabriella was born I sat in her room one night holding her, and just crying my eyes out that there would come a day that she would be hurt, or heart-broken by another person, and there would be nothing I can do about it. It makes you wish you could just keep them in a little cocoon, away from the harsh world.

I haven’t had to deal with this (yet). I will be thinking of you – I hope the school shapes up and works to fix this problem. They shouldn’t tolerate bulling at all!

By: supermom_in_ny

supermom_in_ny — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 01:16:03 +0000

You took me back to when I was in the same situation. My son was going through a lot of pain, his dad had just abandoned our family. His dad was cheating on me and immediately introduced another woman and her child to the scene. To make matters worse, he was a very shy boy. This all happened when he was in kindergarten. He suffered immensely for years at the hands of bullies.

It wasn’t until I told him to stand up and hit the kid back that the bullying stopped. He stood up to the bully in the 6th grade. The bully was shocked and never bothered him again. My son is now very sociable. He was 5 when the bullying started and it didn’t stop until the confrontation at the age of 11! The problem was that he was a target wherever we went. I thank God that he is ok now. The school was useless. I was there several times a week and it got to the point where I told the principal that I would let his siblings defend him-in a not so pretty way.

It is a very difficult position to be in. I pray that you find comfort and peace in the decision you make.

By: PunditMom

PunditMom — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 03:22:12 +0000

These issues are so hard. But at 4, it’s time for the teacher to step in. My daughter, a first-grader now, obviously has issues on the playground, but that’s a couple big years. They’re at the point now where they really can “use their words,” taking responsibility for their actions and their reactions. But they are still supposed to be protected at 4 … it’s the teacher’s responsibility to talk with the other family and make sure your son is safe.