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DS injured self and framed another child!

193 replies

Aquiet · 09/02/2026 14:37

My 12 year old DS has just admitted something that’s left me feeling quite unsettled. Last night after wrestling club he had a badly bruised hand and told us that a girl he was practicing with had slammed his hand in a door. There was a lot of upset, anger and fallout as you’d imagine. She was adamant she didn’t do it. The staff have now put the situation under investigation as there is no cctv in the area it happened.

I let him have the day off today because of his injured hand. He has now admitted that none of this was true. He slammed his own hand in the door deliberately and blamed her out of jealousy. They have been put together to practise for a couple of sessions now and she dominates him every time they practise. She was singled out for praise and given star of the week twice in a row. He says he felt embarrassed and humiliated and acted out without thinking it through.

On the one hand I’m relieved that no one else actually hurt him. On the other, I’m really worried about the lying, the deliberate self-injury, and the fact that he was willing to falsely accuse someone else because of jealousy.

He says he’s sorry and seems genuinely remorseful now, but I can’t shake how serious this feels. Is this “normal” poor decision making for a 12yo with big emotions, or something that needs firmer intervention? Obviously I’m going to have to let them know that the poor girl hasn’t done anything but I’m worried they will kick him out of the club.

OP posts:
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YorksMa · 10/02/2026 17:18

MyCrushWithEyeliner · 10/02/2026 16:14

Any update OP? I’m hoping the girl, her parents and everyone at the club now know the truth.

Yes, I came back to see if the little girl was ok. Hoping OP did the right thing.

MyCrushWithEyeliner · 10/02/2026 16:14

Any update OP? I’m hoping the girl, her parents and everyone at the club now know the truth.

DanceAtTheClubOhMama · 10/02/2026 15:50

Windday · 10/02/2026 09:34

Sorry OP, you have no idea what to think?

He's a manipulative liar, who has done something truly dreadful.

Not normal, not acceptable.

He has no choice in this matter.

YOU need to do the right thing and he needs to accept the consequences.

Tell the club the truth.
If he is kicked out, so be it.

She's a 10 year old.
He's two years older than her.

I actually think this is so shocking and serious.

You have a seriously disturbed child on your hands with no sense of what is right.

He desperately needs to see the consequences of what he has done, not be protected from it.

He will only do worse if he gets away with this.
He needs to see his parent do the right thing.

That poor poor little girl.

12 years of age?
Of course he knows what he did was wrong.

I hope everybody minimising the boys behaviour saying it's 'normal' reads this and actually digests it.

it's boys like the OPs son that I will warn my daughter to stay away from at an age appropriate time. The boys that just hate girls and couldn't possibly have a girl beat them at something. The boys I was told as a kid 'are just teasing you because they fancy you.' Fuck that. He might not grow into a manipulative or violent person but why the hell risk it. He should be pulled out the club immediately to allow the girl to be comfortable and enjoy her time there.

Sassylovesbooks · 10/02/2026 09:53

Your son knew, whilst he was slamming his hand in the door, it was very wrong. He's 12, not 4. Therefore he deliberately set out to frame this young girl, simply because she (and some of the other girls) have been better and achieved star of the week. There's been a degree of premeditation here, not just something he spontaneously decided to do. Absolutely there's been a sexist attitude towards girls and jealousy.

At best your son needs some lessons in viewing girls in a much healthier way, and understanding that girls are just as capable as boys. I'd be speaking to the pastoral team at school, and seeing if they can point you in the right direction.

It goes without saying that you need to tell the sports club the truth. Your son not only needs to apologise to the coach but also to the girl herself, in front of her parents. He's displayed dreadful behaviour and he needs to face up to the consequences of that behaviour. If the club choose to ban him, then it's a valuable lesson learnt.

Brahumbug · 10/02/2026 09:37

nam3c4ang3 · 09/02/2026 14:43

oh my - that poor girl. She could have got into SO much trouble - thank goodness for cctv. I don’t know what to advise re your son - I would be upset myself if it was my son. Sorry Op.

There is no CCTV, that is the point!

Windday · 10/02/2026 09:34

Sorry OP, you have no idea what to think?

He's a manipulative liar, who has done something truly dreadful.

Not normal, not acceptable.

He has no choice in this matter.

YOU need to do the right thing and he needs to accept the consequences.

Tell the club the truth.
If he is kicked out, so be it.

She's a 10 year old.
He's two years older than her.

I actually think this is so shocking and serious.

You have a seriously disturbed child on your hands with no sense of what is right.

He desperately needs to see the consequences of what he has done, not be protected from it.

He will only do worse if he gets away with this.
He needs to see his parent do the right thing.

That poor poor little girl.

12 years of age?
Of course he knows what he did was wrong.

StartedWithACrisp · 10/02/2026 09:26

Also it's not up to the kid whether or not they need to do the counselling. Same way you as a parent decide to put them in a school or in a club, you need to take on this responsibility getting him a suitable councillor. This is not his decision. Of course he doesn't want to go.

StartedWithACrisp · 10/02/2026 09:19

As the parent, as soon as he owned up you have a duty to tell the wrestling club and if you can the girls parents. It is difficult to own up to your child being this way, but it's the only way to be fair and show him what he did was wrong. There should also be adequate discipline to ensure he has boundaries and knows he was wrong. Definitely need professional counselling, which if the school/nurse isn't able to properly divide, it is an investment in your family to get him private help. This is his whole future, nothing is worth more imo. Nip it in the bud quick.

NeverSeenThatColourBlue · 10/02/2026 00:05

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Mary Bell also confessed.

godmum56 · 09/02/2026 22:03

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

I think that's the saddest part. kids who do stuff like this are generally not sociopaths, they are children who are not protected from bad influences.

NeverSeenThatColourBlue · 09/02/2026 21:26

@Aquiet please do update us on how it goes and whether the children involved are ok.

ittakes2 · 09/02/2026 20:52

He’s your son and a young kid, I think it’s important you say it’s great he’s been honest with you and he can always be honest with you and you’ll always work things out together. I think though part of this needs to be to get professional help together - something not right and he needs to unpick that with a professional.

saraclara · 09/02/2026 20:26

gamerchick · 09/02/2026 20:11

The question is are you going to come clean to the club about what he's admitted.

If you green light this by not making him face up to the consequences. It'll backfire on you as he gets older. He needs to learn this lesson.

She's already said that she'll be talking to the leaders this evening. Which is presumably where she is now (or dealing with the aftermath).

gamerchick · 09/02/2026 20:11

Aquiet · 09/02/2026 15:42

Update

In terms of the comments about the misogyny, I’ve just been speaking to him about it to see if any anti feminist content is being mentioned at school, he said no but just admitted he was upset that the girl was better than him, he’s noticed that the girls keep beating boys in general and that the last boy star of the week was in December. So yes it is a misogyny issue.

@HushTheNoise the girl is actually 10.

@CinnamonBuns67 I’ve just been talking to him about seeing a GP or even a school nurse but he said he doesn’t need to, it was a one off and he was crying. He’s promised he will never do anything like it again. I don’t really know what to think.

The question is are you going to come clean to the club about what he's admitted.

If you green light this by not making him face up to the consequences. It'll backfire on you as he gets older. He needs to learn this lesson.

McBickies · 09/02/2026 19:59

Wow. Your son is manipulative.
Hurting himself and placing blame on a girl because he can't stand being beaten by one? And he's so sorry and won't do it again? Aye.
Your child has no place in martial arts. He clearly isn't mature enough. Save the club from barring him and pull him out.

Tiswa · 09/02/2026 19:56

The ages are relevant though because it is the window in which a girl can be quite a way through puberty and for some be close to their adult height (both my mum and DD good friend haven’t grown since year 6!) and many in year 5/6 can easily be 5ft 2 at least

whereas at 12 year old can just be at the start of the process and can be a similar weight and size

SargeMarge · 09/02/2026 19:50

Aworldofmyown · 09/02/2026 19:02

Erm, the OP doesn't say or imply her son did this 'because she is a girl'. He may well have done this regardless of who it was.

She didn’t need to say more because it was plain as day from the information in her first post, and then she confirmed it.

FlakyRedDreamer · 09/02/2026 19:42

IloveOwlsandPenguins · 09/02/2026 16:49

Everyone knows grown males have far superior ( esp upper body strength) & of course should not box women .
This isn’t what happened here .

You seem to be arguing that if a little girl has superior skill in a mixed martial arts class for children she shouldn’t be surprised if a slightly older boy gets angry about that and goes to planned lengths to pretend she injured him deliberately to get her into trouble?
Lordy .

I am not arguing that at all, I am sorry if my point is too difficult to understand for you?

No one said the act was remotely acceptable, merely replying to posters screeching that "being embarrassed because it's a girl it's a worry".

Even before they are 10, boys are taught to treat girls like girls , and
it's true in all the football/ rugby/ martial arts sports I see, in any contact sport they are taught to be mindful because it's a girl first, a player second. They are taught at school to be mindful of girls and little ones!

I have no problem of having superior skills to random blokes, I do as it happens, years of experience put anyone in front of a beginner. I am not silly enough to pretend that being female doesn't matter.

Of course he's WRONG full stop, but his belief about being embarrassed because it's a girl make sense.

a slightly older boy she's 10, he's 12, he's not slightly older btw. That's actually quite a big difference.

KilkennyCats · 09/02/2026 19:22

HoskinsChoice · 09/02/2026 18:42

What do you mean that you're worried he'll be kicked out of the club? Surely ou if respect for the girl and to ensure he understands the seriousness of it, you will stop him going anyway?

This.

Applecup · 09/02/2026 19:17

MyBrightPeer · 09/02/2026 15:44

Sorry but your son should be kicked out for awful behaviour. You need to absolutely nip this burgeoning misogyny in the bud.

This. If you brush it under the carpet then you are as bad as him.

FOJN · 09/02/2026 19:12

MargaretThursday

From the OP's posts:

They have been put together to practise for a couple of sessions now and she dominates him every time they practise.

I’ve just been speaking to him about it to see if any anti feminist content is being mentioned at school, he said no but just admitted he was upset that the girl was better than him, he’s noticed that the girls keep beating boys in general and that the last boy star of the week was in December.

Her son acknowledges the girls are better than the boys. There is a structured scoring system for wrestling, I don't know if that applies here.

If he's already feeling resentful about being beaten by a girl telling him the girls are only getting star awards because they are girls will not help. He will feel like he's being unfairly treated. He needs to accept he's getting fairly beaten and if he doesn't like that he needs to work harder to improve.

Say about them wanting to encourage the girls because typically the girls at that age drop out faster than the boys - I don't think that's unfair for him to know as long as you can trust him not to shout out "you only got that because you're a girl."

Why would it be a problem for him to say that? You believe it to be true, that's your whole post. Telling him girls get preferential treatment will only reinforce his misogyny. It's the kind of messaging delivered by Andrew Tate types.

Aworldofmyown · 09/02/2026 19:04

Sorry, just seen the OP update!

JustGiveMeReason · 09/02/2026 19:03

saraclara · 09/02/2026 18:50

The club is likely to be run by volunteer coaches who have day jobs. It's unrealistic to think that she could have got in touch with them with such a sensitive situation, during ng the working day. Even if she had their phone numbers, talking this through with them while they're at their workplace is entirely inappropriate.

Not necessarily.
People are in all sorts of different situations.
In serious situations like this, plenty of volunteers who work with young people are able to take time from their lunch hours, or flexible working time, or they might be retired or unemployed or SAHPs or shift workers.

To my mind, the OP should have let them know as soon as she found out, and then the people who run the group might, or might not have been able to deal with the situation at the time, but at least the OP had done all that she could.

Aworldofmyown · 09/02/2026 19:02

SargeMarge · 09/02/2026 14:47

It’s worrying because it seems that his main issue is that she is a girl, and she is better than him and he can’t stand that. I would be really very concerned about that attitude starting at his age.

And to frame her to have her punished, simply for being better than him. When you don’t mention he has ever had any issues with any boys at the club previously.

What sort of content does he watch on social media or YouTube? What are his friends like? He is starting down a very misogynistic path, and you need to do something here.

If you’ve got the money, I would be going to counselling with him.

Edited

Erm, the OP doesn't say or imply her son did this 'because she is a girl'. He may well have done this regardless of who it was.

MaggiesShadow · 09/02/2026 18:54

I actually find some of the dismissive posts on this thread both worrying and disappointing.

This attitude is one of the reasons red pill content has become so prevalent in modern culture, and precisely why they keep getting away with it.

Dismissing it as something silly that kids do is, quite frankly, insane behaviour. The idea that he was so upset at being beaten by a girl that he sought out somewhere with no CCTV, purposely hurt himself, and then lied through his teeth to people in positions of authority is NOT normal.

For every parent that thinks their precious angel baby couldn't have meant it because it's just hormones, for every person who insists that 'boys will be boys' and scoffs and makes references to sociopathy and Mary Bell (?) I can guarantee there's a right-wing man with a bloody podcast just waiting to prey on their boys.

And yes, it is that serious.