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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be upset/annoyed by this mum's reaction?

96 replies

strawberryyDaiquiri · 05/07/2014 12:08

Hi everyone

I could potentially make this a very long post so will try to be as brief as possible!

My DS is in year 2 and has been bullied by one boy in particular since reception. The bullying extended outside of school to Cubs and football club so have moved DS to groups further away.

He is starting at a new school in September. This boy is known to be horrible to a lot of children but my DS is definitely his main target. I suppose you could describe by DS as "sensitive." He's shy, very conscientious, he's not typically "boyish" and has been teased since reception for not liking football or playing "boys" games etc. He reminds me a lot of my brother when he was very young. My parents used to worry that he would struggle making friends etc but he turned out absolutely fine and if anything had a better social life than I did by his teens and I was always the louder child!
DH worries about him a bit but I try not to for now. He does have a very mature head on his shoulders and I sometimes worry that he is already too much of a worrier at a young age but I will see how he gets on at his new school and not panic unduly.

So anyway this boy- let's call him Sam- has teased DS from the first day of school. He is a difficult pupil for his teachers and they have called his mum in on numerous occasions to discuss his behaviour and how he treats other children. As I say he's pretty awful to a lot of the children but particularly mean to DS. One thing he does repeatedly is ask him if he's adopted because he's "such a freak" and my DD (in Reception) is "normal." "Why aren't you normal like your sister?" 2 weeks ago he found my DD in the playground and told her he was going to get my DS and flush his head down the toilet then lock him in. He also pesters DD asking if DS is adopted, tells DD that he's gay because he "has his ear pierced"( he has a small freckle just wear a pierced ear hole would be and it's something he's been teased about for ages by "Sam".) He once found a pink mini-mouse hair clip on the floor and put it in my DS hair without him noticing then went round shouting "HAHA DS is wearing a hairclip he's so gay." Luckily the classroom assistant witnessed this but he's done a similar things on a few occasions where he has deliberately tried to make a mockery of him. (In year 1 he pulled down his trousers and pants then told the teacher on duty that DS was "showing people his willy")...the list goes on really but he is really an unpleasant child and the teachers have done all they can. They get complaints from parents on a weekly basis but his mother seems to refuse to acknowledge his behaviour. It's known that she had tried for years to have a baby but was told her chances were second to none so she had given up hope when she fell pregnant at 37- lovely story..but now the golden child can do no wrong.

Anyway yesterday was DS' birthday. We went to Tesco the night before and bought those little bags of Haribo for each child. There are 24 in his class including him, so I bought 25 so I could give one to DD. He hands out the packets but is 2 short. I later found out that DD had nabbed a couple of packets the night before. Unfortunately, the last 2 children that DS got to were Sam and his friend. The teacher told me that DS looked utterly terrified when he realised he had run out and that Sam wouldn't get any. He apologised to Sam and friend and said that he must have left the 2 packets at home. His teacher said that it was obviously a mistake and that DS would not deliberately leave anyone out and said perhaps he would find the 2 extra packets over the weekend and bring them in on Monday for Sam and friend.

When the teacher's back was turned Sam walked past DS, kicked the back of his chair then hit him around the head and hissed at him that he's "such a weirdo."

5.30pm yesterday evening and I get a phone call from an extremely angry mother. Sam's mum was livid that his DS hadn't received a bag of sweets. I assured her that it was in no way deliberate and explained how my DD had taken the packets the night before (which she has been told off for!) I said it was unfortunate that Sam's table was the last that DS got to but that I would give him 2 more packets to take in on Monday. She continued to shout down the phone and said that it was nasty and unfair to "treat a child like that" and "of course he's going to be upset if everyone else is given sweets expect him- accusing me of deliberately telling DS to not give any to her DS. I was so shocked that I didn't really know what to say. Part of me wanted to give her a right earful back but I just want DS to get to the end of term as smoothly as possible. DH thinks I should have it out with her once term has ended and let her know exactly what I think of her and her precious DS but I'm not sure if that's a bit childish.

I appreciate it was unfortunate and I should have been sensible and counted the sweets that morning just to make sure. But after all her DS has done to my DS over the years...and she has the audacity to be livid because DS, through no fault of his own, was unable to give him any sweets...I was just so upset for DS and angry at how this woman had spoken to me. What would you do? I just can't decide how to react to this.

OP posts:
Mumtums · 05/07/2014 16:27

Why didn't you say something to her about the bullying? Her son is making your son's life hell and you shouldn't have allowed her to rant at you over a bag of sweets for her entitled little shit

Bullies usually stop once they are stood up to and, since the mother sounds as much a bully as the son, I would have told her so. You don't need to stoop to her level by ranting either.

thornrose · 05/07/2014 16:36

Blimey, police and SS is a bit over the top, are you serious?

MrsCakesPremonition · 05/07/2014 16:52

Sam's mum is judging you and your DS's behaviour over the sweets by her own standards. She is assuming that you and your DS are as nasty and vindictive as she and her son are.

She is wrong. Do not sink to her level, there is no need to tackle her as you will be well rid of her in a week or two.

However, if her or Sam's behaviour escalates in anyway over the next few days, I would go into school with all guns blazing and be sure to let every other parent you speak to know exactly why you are leaving the school.

kawliga · 05/07/2014 16:59

She's setting an already unpleasant child a terrible example

Sure, but it is not OP's job to teach this mother how to parent or to teach this unpleasant family how to behave better in future. Why should that be OP's duty? I would toss them the bag of sweets and wash my hands of them. OP, you are out of that school, why do you care, why are you so invested in this family? Yikes.

Petrasmumma · 05/07/2014 17:55

Perfectly, thornrose.

temporarilyjerry · 05/07/2014 18:12

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

You and your DS only have to put up with Sam for 2 weeks, but his mother will reap what she is sowing. Wouldn't want to be her when he turns 14.

Good luck to your DS for his new school.

My DS is also 'sensitive'. He is at secondary now and the school deals with bullying well, but it seems that more issues arise as soon as one is dealt with. Sad

Rebecca2014 · 05/07/2014 18:21

I would have yelled right back and given her a piece of my mind. No way in hell would I let my dd give a bully who has driven her out of school a pack of sweets.

StealthPolarBear · 05/07/2014 18:27

Give him the small pack of sweets on monday and a huge vile tasting gobstopper "for your mother"

Goldmandra · 05/07/2014 18:41

I would take the sweets in on Monday, explain about the phone call to the teacher and ask her to hand the sweets personally to the mother. At the same time she can explain that she chose the order in which the children went to your DS to collect the sweets so he had no control whatsoever over who was left without when there were two short.

This will let Sam's mother know that the teacher is aware of her appalling behaviour and she will also then have no excuse for saying that your DS did it on purpose.

You have to send the sweets in in order to maintain your place on the moral high ground but there is no harm in getting the teacher to deal with her at the same time.

todayisnottheday · 05/07/2014 18:47

Please give him the sweets, as much as it goes against the grain your ds clearly isn't up to saying "no you're horrid, your mum's horrid and you need to be nice if you want people to be nice to you" my own ds sounds similar to yours, my dd has told people they can't have something and why, my ds would do anything for a quiet life and would rather be bullied than complain sadly.

It's horrible to watch but you are doing everything you can to help him. Maybe you can take the sweets in and tell the teacher about the phone call (either way you need to let the school know as it's harassment and they need to know the list is being abused). Just help ds keep his head down until term is over.

MehsMum · 05/07/2014 18:54

As Goldmandra says, you have to give Sam the sweets to stay on the moral high ground.

Even so, tell the school about the phone call. I don't know what they can do, and they probably already know what the mother is like, but it's another piece of picture.

I hope your DS is much happier at his new school.

LizLimone · 05/07/2014 18:55

Like mother, like son! Easy to see where Sam gets his nasty attitude from.

I feel bad for your son. Some people are just ignorant. I'm sure Sam and his harridan mother will do just fine without a bag of Haribo sweets...the trauma won't be lifelong, unlike horrible bullying.

Tell her to get over herself and try teaching her child some manners next time.

Only1scoop · 05/07/2014 19:01

Yanbu

Vile child and mother

Put teacher In picture re aggressive phone call.

Send the little darling Sam his sweets

DoItTooJulia · 05/07/2014 19:02

Yeah, take the sweets, show him, your ds and everyone else that your ds is a man of word, as it were. Also it'll help ds not be scared of going in on Monday.

As for the other mum, defo tell the school, ask for a letter to go out explaining that the contact lists aren't there to be used as a tool of harassment. Take your name off and get them to issue a new list.

Ignore her. If you do see her you could just say how unsavoury and I dignified you found her behaviour to be and that she rather embarrassed herself! And move away.

Your poor ds has been through the mill. Hope he likes his new school and friends better!

LegoSuperstar · 05/07/2014 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

morethanpotatoprints · 05/07/2014 19:11

i'd change your number. How did she get it in the first place?
Wait until the last day and do and say everything to her that she has done to your child. Oh, and flush her head down the toilet whilst chanting weirdo.

kawliga · 05/07/2014 19:14

Wow, this has to be the most fought-over small bag of haribo ever. Who would have thought.

Your ds meant to give all the kids sweets. Accidentally two bags got pinched by your dd forgotten. Your ds said he would bring them in. Teacher said they would be brought it. This all happened in class. Send in the ruddy sweets and move on!

Or: don't send the sweets. Instead, fight with this woman until kingdom come. Show your ds what epic battles must be fought by grown women just so a bully doesn't get his stupid bag of stupid sweets. What started out as a nice thought, taking sweets for his birthday, will become the most ridiculous battle ever fought.

oldgrandmama · 05/07/2014 19:18

Your poor son. Give the sweets, both packets, to the class teacher to hand out. Inform the head about the nasty phone call - the bullying brat's mother had NO right to call you like that.

I am actually amazed that the kid has got away for so long with his behaviour. The seven year old son of a friend of mine, together with a couple of classmates, called a fellow pupil at school 'a bit gay' during a game, overheard by a supervising teacher... well, you would have thought the sky had fallen in on them. Parents of the boys called in for meeting with class teacher and head, words like 'hate crime' and 'homophobia' and insinuations about the home life of the kids! Quite right - that sort of thing is unacceptable at any age. The parents concerned were crestfallen and very apologetic and the kids got hell and probably will never, ever, dare do anything like that again.

Sounds like your son's school isn't as rigorous about bullying as my friends' son's school. Anyway, good that he will soon be out of the place. The nasty child will doubtless pick on someone else next term. The school sounds unbelievably weak and as for the boy's mother, well, she's storing up a whole lot of trouble for herself and her kid.

morethanpotatoprints · 05/07/2014 19:20

kawliga Grin

OP, did you really count out 25 bags of haribo?
if you get one or two of those big bags its far easier and nobody gets left out.

diddl · 05/07/2014 19:29

of course OP, your daughter should really be taking the sweets in, handing them out & apologisingGrin

lifehasafunnywayofhelpinguout · 05/07/2014 19:35

O.M.G. All that nastiness from child. Your little boy sounds adorable and sensitive.
Also you owe this women and her little angel nothing. X

ICanSeeTheSun · 05/07/2014 19:49

I would get a bag of sour harribo for him.

Tell your DH to phone her himself.

shadypines · 05/07/2014 20:50

Goodness OP, how awful for you and DS but it's no wonder the child behaves like this if the mother feels she is justified in phoning you up about something so trivial and ranting like this! Oh my god that poor kid with her as an example (but I am trying not to feel too sorry for him as he sounds bloody awful).

What on earth are the school doing about this behaviour??

If I were you re the sweets I would first ignore this mother's behaviour for this reason :- You got enough sweets and the intention was for the whole class to have a bag - correct? Unfortunately DD eats two by accident - these things happen. I would just get two more bags and ask the teacher to explain to the two children what happen or she could just say two of the bags went missing or something. As awful as Sam is I don't think he should be penalised for his mother's ranting down the phone.

The bottom line though, the school need to take more heavy measures to sort this child out otherwise he'll be murder by high school and it's not fair on your DS and all the other kids right now.

alemci · 05/07/2014 21:07

I really hope things get better for your ds. it is not right, the toilet threat is horrendous especially in primary.

my ds had a boy in y5 who caused alot of dc to leave as he was so unpleasant. he seemed to leave my ds alone but not good for the class.

apermanentheadache · 05/07/2014 21:27

You've got to send the sweets in....but I can see why you'd rather not.

Frankly, the school are a shower. Quite apart from anything else they should be doing something further because Sam is more than likely being treated unkindly at home. The bullying you describe sounds to me like the result of bullying at home.

All this is not your concern, but if you want to light a rocket under the head's arse, say that you are concerned about Sam from a safeguarding POV. How sure is the school that he is not being bullied himself at home?

It is very unlikely a child that young would use homophobic bullying and humiliation tactics if he wssn't seeing it elsewhere from an adult.