to think that I know what bullying is?

[bogeyface]

And not appreciate getting a bollocking for suggesting that "I'm not your friend anymore, I am BFF with X" is not bullying?

One of my daughter's class mates (sometimes friend) has in the past often said to her "You're not my friend anymore because you did ......." It has been things like not sharing her yoghurt, not going home on the bus etc.

I do consider that to be bullying and so did the school. They dealt with it and it seems to have stopped. They are 5.

I see your point bogeyface but you've said you were bullied (badly by the sounds of it) so maybe you have a distorted view. I was luckily not bullied and never experienced anyone else being either the odd nasty comment - like this could be - and a bit of friend swapping but I would never expect children to act in a 'vile' way.

good post manic

Bullying is ON-GOING acts.

Well it's not very nice is it? I'd be pretty cross if I heard one of my kids sayi g that.

Ds2 (10) finds that sort of mean behaviour very difficult to deal with. It seems to kick in at this age and it has led to tears before school for the first time ever. He's always loved school until this sort of stuff started.

I agree with the bullies bigmouths and so called friends suggestion. Fantastic book - ds2 really likes it, and although he still struggles to understand why people call him names or are mean just for the sake of it, the book has opened a dialogue between us where he's happy to discuss it with me. I seems to help him put it in proportion and to understand it's not about him.

Most of the name calling seems to be from one or two children. But the book has helped him see that they're like that with everyone. In fact when one of them had a go at a kid 2 years younger (why would you do that?) ds2 tried to protect him (he said they just started being mean to him then, but he didn't care).