Think I saw school kid bullying - wish I'd said something

[doadeer]

I was bringing my son back from nursery today in the pram, he had been distressed because he dropped his food on the street (heis autistic and was struggling to understand what had happened)

We walked past a boy (maybe 13) looking really deflated and behind him were a group of lads same age throwing snow at him and shouting.

I wish I had said something I kept thinking about it all the way home. I absolutely hate bullying.

If I see it again I need to speak up, what would you do / say in this context?

I think it's tricky tbh, depends a lot I guess on their demeanour and the area you live. Dodgy area = dont get involved. Naice MC area = less risk to self if you say something.

Not quite the same but I was at the park with my son after school one day and a group of boys from the same school, who were three years above him, started to make fun of him. I was standing further away so they didn't realise who I was. I ran over and asked them angrily if there was a problem - they pretty much shit themselves and legged it out the park, little cowardly bastards.

I saw a similar thing happening many years ago now, although instead of throwing snow it was stones off the floor. I did say something along the lines of "what do you think you're doing?" They seemed surprised to have been challenged by a random woman (I was probably mid-late 20s at the time) but just said "it's alright he's our friend"

I can't remember what I said to that exactly but it will have been along the lines of "some friends" or something. I hope it had an effect but I doubt it.

I'm not sure what I would have done in your situation as I've lost a bit of the confidence of youth that I had back then, plus with a child with additional needs along with you means you had to consider how he would have been affected too.

I maybe would have said a quiet are you ok to the target and then if the others didn't move on while I was there glaring at them maybe said "ok you've had your fun go throw snow at someone else for a bit"

The problem is you don't know how they will react. If they had school uniforms on and you could give a decent description it may be worth reporting to the local school in case it's part of a wider issue.

I was near my house and I have a tough 6ft 4 husband I could have shouted for!

We live in a very MC area but that doesn't change the fact that some kids are shits ☹️

I'm going to watch out for this lad as I come home same time every day.

We're in a similar area however, I spent part of my childhood in an area that's notoriously rough and I seriously doubt the kids where I currently live and who act like wee hard-men would last two minutes there. Its all bravado with them and I seriously doubt they have a clue what goes on outside their MC bubble, though I suspect some of the particularly mean kids at DS's school (bullying, vaping in class, punching teachers) will probably find out one day as that's where their path will head if they don't change their ways.