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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:
scotchtikidoll · 05/07/2014 21:30

Your poor boy! I would have been tempted to seriously put the woman in her place. I certainly would not have taken her abuse, even if I was lost for words over the phone. I hope you didn't apologise!

I do feel sorry for the bully to an extent as well. I am convinced that he has learned this behaviour from home- the mother has proven this with her own conduct. She comes across as the sort of person to treat her kids like shit, but whenever she gets wind of someone even daring to inconvenience her child, she takes out her inner anger on them too. I think all children are born as clean slates, so to speak, and their experiences shape them. They are capable of fantastic things, and their potential is endless. The possibilites will not come to fruition if they are ground down by a suppressive, nasty homelife.

I don't mean this as a way to comfort you, as this other child is suffering in the long-term even after the school bell has rung, but your child, even though the experience of being singled out and bullied is a horrible one, at least you know he doesn't feel shit enough about himself and insecure enough to bully others. Perhaps explain that kids tend to bully others when they are unhappy inside.

On the logistical side of things, absolutely go to the highest person in terms of getting this situation dealt with. Don't run away and try and make things easy- this is a reality for your son and he learns from experience. If he sees you going through the proper channels and being proactive then it will reiterate how unacceptable the whole thing is.

As a side note, if someone was kicking my child's head I would tell them it is bloody well fine to defend himself physically.

MiscellaneousAssortment · 05/07/2014 21:38

Foul mother, child also sounds vile...

Agree with others though, give the sweets, complain about the mother and move onto pastures new without a second thought.

I like the idea of making the teacher give the sweets to the parents, it's not your job to sort out.

The school sounds rubbish, good luck in the new one, I hope they're better.

I don't get it when schools soft pedal bullies - is it because theres a bit of them that secretly supports bullying in some way? Like, toughen them up, or 'never did me any harm', or 'prepares them for the real world'? Or victim blaming? Compassion fatigue? I find this more upsetting than the bullying itself.

treadheavily · 05/07/2014 21:39

My first thought is that it is no wonder Sam is such a beastly child, he has learnt well from his mother.

Give the sweets to the teacher to dispense.

I don't know how you have coped for so long, I think I would have made a huge fuss a lot sooner. Stuff like this makes my blood boil. Your poor ds.

scotchtikidoll · 05/07/2014 21:43

Why should he get sweets?

'Haha my mum shouted at your mum and now you have to give me sweets.'

That is all that says.

Mumtums · 05/07/2014 21:55

Kawliga and others who've mocked fighting over a small packet of Haribo; it's about a lot more than that though, isn't it?

scotchtikidoll · 05/07/2014 21:58

kawliga did you actually read the OP?

foslady · 05/07/2014 23:00

I'd be tempted to give sweets to the other boy and then tell the other boy he would have got sweets until his mum joined in the bullying to.....

Goldmandra · 05/07/2014 23:14

I'd be tempted to give sweets to the other boy and then tell the other boy he would have got sweets until his mum joined in the bullying to.....

It might be tempting but it would be stooping to her level.

Much better to hand the sweets to the teacher and ask her to hand them over, explain the situation to the mother and tell her clearly that she needs to contact the school if she has any future concerns.

arkestra · 06/07/2014 00:27

Sam is an unpleasant character with an unpleasant mother. With those two handicaps he isn't likely to have an enjoyable life - I would give him the sweets as an act of charity. His mum will probably view that as a victory for her, but that's an attitude deserving more pity than anything else. Can you imagine what kind of hell her inner mental life must be like?

It's a real shame the school haven't made a better fist of dealing with Sam - they sound absolutely useless to be honest - but hopefully you'll be leaving all that behind soon enough.

kawliga · 06/07/2014 00:29

scotch did you actually read the thread?

kawliga · 06/07/2014 00:33

Yes, for the OP it's not just the haribo, I get that. Some of us are responding to some other things other posters are saying as the conversation unfolds on the thread, not just the OP. The thread has had some really interesting suggestions, some of which were so much about the sweets that it all looked a bit OTT. I think as the thread moves along we're allowed to speak about what other posters are saying, not just the OP. Sorry OP. But I still think you should just send in the sweets and be done with it.

EugenesAxe · 06/07/2014 00:55

Cor, I'd like picnicbasket at my back in an argument - a very satisfying comeback suggestion.

Sweets or principle - if this happened to most other people they'd surely just play it down as a mistake or something. She sounds disturbed!

LowCarbHeaven · 06/07/2014 01:17

I wouldn't give the sweets. It's like giving in to the bullies (and his mums) demands. If he is leaving in a couple weeks anyway I don't see why he should give a boy who made his life miserable based on principle. The boy is a bully, bullies don't get sweets especially not when they have behaved appallingly over a mistake, surely that's enough principle.

MidniteScribbler · 06/07/2014 01:57

I think the OPs DD needs to hand over the sweets. She needs to apologise for them being missing in the first place.

As an aside, always send in a few extras if you're sending in biscuits or sweets. You never know what can happen, I've had days with extra students in the class for whatever reason, or the birthday child helps themselves on the way in.

sashh · 06/07/2014 05:54

I'd be tempted (but don't do it it's probably illegal) to send special sweets in for Sam, chocolate, the kind that has laxative in it.

Anyway

Send in 2 packets of Haribo - you were sending these in for the whole class originally.

then give her phone number to all the other parents who can phone mum up and berate her because her child has been given sweets because he is a bully and non of the other children got them

Aeroflotgirl · 07/07/2014 09:33

He he good idea, Sula makes sugar free sweets for diabetics which has a laxative effect.

hanginginthere1 · 07/07/2014 10:12

I agree, what an unpleasant child.
For the life of me, however, i do not understand this habit of giving out sweets etc to the whole class. Totally un necessary and OTT.

Deathraystare · 07/07/2014 16:46

You may have told off your DD for this but have you stressed what the consequences of her actions were?

I would not take in more sweets. If there is another phone calls tell her -as another poster said - you have to earn sweets, buying doesn't count and as she had also ranted down the phone at you without waiting to hear your side , you felt disinclined to give more sweets to your son for her bullying child. Then blow a raspberry down the phone if you are feeling particularly childish!!!

NewtRipley · 07/07/2014 17:02

The school has not dealt with this robustly enough. My guess is that they are a little frightened of the mother. IMO, some primaries are less successful in dealing with bullying because it is almost as if they need the parents permission to deal with it.

I agree that Sam is likely to be like this because he has difficulties at home.

I would tell the school, and ask them what they are going to do if there is an escalation as aresult of this event

NewtRipley · 07/07/2014 17:05

I agree with those who are concerned about Sam's homelife. Tell the school you are concerned for Sam as well as for your son.

Whereisegg · 07/07/2014 17:16

I hope things were ok for your ds today Thanks

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