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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Son so upset WWYD

179 replies

JendallKenner · 07/12/2016 16:56

Hi, DS is 13 and walks home every day with his best friend(D) and another boy(J). For background this other boy often likes to be a bit touchy feely in the way of little pushes, punches and 'playfight' type things. DS is not like that at all but plays along usually because he worries about losing these friends (he took a long time to get to know people at current school). I've always told him if he's not happy with the interaction between them to tell this boy and tell me, so far it's been ok and they've all been friendly together.

Also, DS has eating issue (SED) and certain foods absolutely repel him.

He came home from school today absolutely distraught, in fact ive never seen him so upset. He could barely breathe. J found a tube of soft cheese (think Primula or similar) and picked it up and squeezed it all over DS. It went all over his blazer, trousers, hair and face.

His best friend D laughed, J laughed and after DS asked him to stop he carried on doing it rubbing it right into his clothes. The two of them found it hilarious and when DS started crying laughed even more.

He is mostly upset that D stood and laughed instead of sticking up for him, and now I don't know what to do. DH says tomorrow he should take butter into school and rub it all over J Hmm

My thinking is we go round this evening to speak to parents as not only is it a shitty thing to do when someone doesn't like it but his blazer is a nightmare to wash and it's disrespectful to do this to someone's clothes.

One of the foods he has issues with is cheese, he absolutely can't bear it being all over him right now and is currently showering it off crying.

OR - do we all need to get a grip? Is it just 'lads banter'? DS is a very sensitive boy, he doesn't get involved in fights and things do upset him easily, mostly as I said D laughing at him.
If I go round to the house any ideas how to approach this?

OP posts:
PosiePootlePerkins · 07/12/2016 22:25

That's great OP. Just remember it is very different to start with, but my DS had 2 free lessons to see how he got on with it before committing, it is a bit of a financial outlay, my youngest DS does it too so double whammy for me! But that's all he's interested in doing and has helped him so much I don't mind.
Parents can do it too (but I am happy just watching!Wink)
Really disagree with the 'don't be a grass' angle, for all the reasons described by WingedSloath.

JendallKenner · 07/12/2016 22:26

Will definitely update foot, the pastoral guy is very good and I really hope he'll understand the importance of treading carefully and keeping an eye out for now. I can't not say anything now, it was too upsetting seeing him like that earlier, he doesn't deserve it and I told him that.

Yeah I hope they'll rally round and show J that what he did was bloody horrible!

OP posts:
WelliesAndPyjamas · 07/12/2016 22:27

From experience, a school which is weak on behaviour will try to wheedle out of ths sort of thing because it is happening out of school. Trying to mention the reputation of the school (linking to school uniform) is a good angle (wish I'd thought of that when ds was regularly being pushed in to the road and having stones and insults thrown at him in the street by his 'friend').

Just wondering, if cheese/food is your ds' weak spot, what is the bully's one?! Just saying... 😜

LucieLucie · 07/12/2016 22:30

Why is everyone saying 'report to school'? It's got sod all to do with the school, they just happen to all attend!
13 year old lads mucking about, he needs to learn to stand up for himself better. It's not fair to expect his friend D to do it for him!
Getting parents involved at teenage stage is a bit ott imo.

I agree with you dh, he needs to give the lad a taste of his own medicine - out of school though, butter, eggs, flour whatever Grin

JendallKenner · 07/12/2016 22:34

Posie I'm with you, just watching will be fine ;) Oh that's good about the free lessons, good that they can try it just to see if it's something they like.

Wellies good advice I will mention the uniform/reputation, I do think they'll take it seriously though as there was another incident a year ago with other bullies that happened on the way home and they dealt with it fantastically. I'm so sorry your DS had that happen to him, I can't believe another child would think it's seriously ok to push someone into a road?? :(

OP posts:
CotswoldStrife · 07/12/2016 22:35

OP, as you already suspect I think his friend being involved is what will be putting him off any reporting of the incident. My own DD is younger but she told me that she had been having some trouble at lunchtime and hadn't reported it to anyone 'because she didn't want to get my friends into trouble' Sad That stopped by itself but it is a tricky line to cross. My DD is getting better at avoiding the mean kids when necessary but it is easier said than done.

I hope one of the other children reports it, tbh.

littlesallyracket · 07/12/2016 22:36

I agree that your DS shouldn't message J to tell him he was upset. It's pretty clear that J knew he was upset, and didn't care. The school do need to deal with this - apart from the unpleasantness of it and the distress caused to your poor son, who I feel incredibly sorry for, the school shouldn't be letting kids get away with potentially wrecking other kids' property. School blazers aren't cheap.

JendallKenner · 07/12/2016 22:37

LucieLucie it's mad there's so many conflicting opinions, guess that's human nature..I know what you mean to a point, if DS had something on him like milk then in that context throwing it over him there and then wouldn't be so bad, it's just the pre-planning I don't like.

Will see what the school say, will do it casually and over the phone, I know DS is seen as a target because he's not one the 'hard' lads and that's the angle DH is coming at it from, he wants others to think twice before picking on him.

OP posts:
Footinmouthasusual · 07/12/2016 22:38

Good luck op xx your ds is lucky to have a sensible thoughtful mum x

Sweets101 · 07/12/2016 22:44

School might not want to deal with it anyway if it didn't happen on school grounds, it's outside their remit. You could make them aware.
Tbh for now i'd work with DS on this and not directly go against his wishes without having properly discussed it and weighed up your options together first.
If it's happened outside school, it would actually be a common assault for police to deal with. I wouldn't go down that route without careful consideration and I certainly wouldn't retaliate in kind as the same principle would apply, and obviously it's much worse adult on child than child on child.

JendallKenner · 07/12/2016 22:45

Cotswold that's exactly it, he's put off by the fact his friends are the ones who have done this, and I've put myself back into my 13 year old shoes and I'd be terrified too so I completely understand where he's coming from. Glad it got sorted for your DD in the end, friendships are so hard aren't they?!

littlesally no it wasn't cheap! I only bought the blazer last month and it's already been through a lot from just everyday wear and a tippex incident in a lesson (non bullying related!) so for that alone it's not acceptable.

Thank you foot that's a very nice thing to read, I really appreciate it xx Flowers

OP posts:
SalemSaberhagen · 07/12/2016 22:51

All of these people saying it's nothing to do with the school as they weren't on the premises obviously don't work in education.

I have had meetings with parents/mediation sessions with students after weekend altercations, even.

TheCraicDealer · 07/12/2016 22:57

DS is seen as a target because he's not one the 'hard' lads and that's the angle DH is coming at it from, he wants others to think twice before picking on him

Yeah but retaliation in any way could easily get the kid into a situation he has no way of handling. What if J turns rounds and decks him? What if he doesn't hit him but says cruel or embarrassing things that make your DS cry or get emotional, causing more humiliation? It's not as easy as slopping milk over J, who then shrugs his shoulders and says, "fair play, mayte, won't be picking on you again".

The boy isn't a fighter or a lad, and that's ok. He needs to learn to be more assertive but that might not be something for this week, this year, or even until he's out of school. It wasn't for me, anyway! The food issues are going to take precedence for a while anyway. But I would think that exercise of any sort would be good for him and his confidence; martial arts, golf, even the gym where he could go with his dad for joint PT sessions. Hope it gets sorted- the teen years can be horrific for some people. Least he's got a supportive mum who's trying to be sensitive to the situation and strike a delicate balance.

HarryPottersMagicWand · 07/12/2016 22:57

How awful for your poor DS!

When I was about 12, there was an older girl who took a disliking to me for no reason. She didnt know me at all but she started calling me names, then her mates joined in, then she tried to trip me in the corridors. I told my dad, who wasnt one for letting stuff like this go. We waited for her one day and followed her home. He knocked on her door and told her parents. They were not happy.

The next day I got an apology from her and her friends. Sometimes telling the parents can be more effective. Schools aren't always that affective in dealing with stuff. Mine was totally rubbish.

WhitePhantom · 07/12/2016 23:01

Isn't it quite possible that you didn't report it but "someone else" did?

Might one of the other kids who saw it, might have been someone who recognised the uniform... who knows...?? Wink Could have been anyone.

Tummelthecat · 07/12/2016 23:06

Do as footinmouth advises; good advice!

JennyPocket · 07/12/2016 23:15

I don't condone retaliation, but when I was in secondary school I got picked on a lot, physically and mentally. I picked a ringleader and had a short fight with her one lunch and I wasn't bothered again after that. Once I'd stood up for myself she was backed down.

Having said that I had no parental or school help or advice to help solve the problem. There was no pastoral care, nobody to speak to, no anti-bullying policy, literally nothing. You just had to put up with it.

So probably the best thing to do in today's more enlightened schools is to let them help with the problem. Maybe to this other boy, it was just showing off and banter (even though of course it wasn't to your DS, but maybe this other boy is more foolish than malicious - I would hope so, somehow. Foolish can be educated, malicious is harder to deal with Sad

Definitely do/say something though. It's not on.

Dontaskmegoogleit · 07/12/2016 23:21

I agree with footandmouth , I also have a 13 year old son take the steer from what he wants to do.
Hang fire for a bit while yours and your husbands emotions are running high.
You can always go to school or speak to parents at a later date.

AvaCrowder · 08/12/2016 03:09

You sound great, he is a lucky boy to have parents who care about him.

I would go to the school and then the police.

He needs to know that he hasn't done anything wrong, and you've got his back.

Footinmouthasusual · 08/12/2016 04:00

The police, Hmm good God have you had anything to do with teenagers ever?

buggerForTheBottle · 08/12/2016 07:15

Firstly, to the poster who said, "My Ds is very sensitive too (has ASD) and it boils my piss when he's told he's a victim because he's an easy target." it's absolutely true that he is. Bullies look for mentally or physically weak targets. They look for someone who won't fight back. That isn't telling your son he's to blame, it's examining the motive of the bullies. I think you need to differentiate the two.

To the OP.

I'm a headmistress. Not always correct but at least have experience.

You're right to ask for help as this is a minefield. Heavy handedness from teachers, students or parents can make this much more difficult than it needs to be. I say teachers as although it happened out of school hours, we can and like to become involved. There's no separating what happens outside the school boundaries and its effect in school.

I think you should approach the school. Not the other two boys' parents as you don't have a relationship with them, good or otherwise.

The school should be aware of the situation. They should handle it correctly. They won't turn your son into a grass and will ensure that this doesn't escalate.

I wouldn't call this bullying as that is usually repeated occurrences. This doesn't make it any less of an issue but the sensible option is to look to repair the friendship as opposed to a creating a simplistic 'perps and victim' scenario and keep the children apart.

At this age, children can be nasty and often are. As someone else said, there's a world of difference between a sustained campaign and a one-off incident, however unpleasant that incident was.

Take photographs of the blazer just in case it's necessary to show evidence.

WhitePhantom The school won't march up to the two boys and say "Jendall's Mummy said that you've been mean to him...". The OP needs to trust the school. They know what they're doing.

I realise this is the hardest part but remember that they're all only children. These 3 may become wonderful friends with the other two completely changing as they mature. You might be seeing a lot of them over the next 7 years or so.

Your husband is in the wrong (of course) although it's good he cares. People live vicariously through their children and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. As well as the upset that he wasn't able to protect his son, he'll also feel upset his son couldn't defend himself.

I rarely think teaching bullied children any form of martial arts or self defence is a good idea. It can be a great sport / hobby but not when the idea is to use it in a pre-defined circumstance.

The most upsetting and difficult time I've had in my career in education was when a bullied child (we, with the parents we working very hard but it was a sad and difficult case) was sent to boxing lessons despite our suggestions to the contrary. The child was 10 or 11. One day he was pushed too far and thumped the bully. A single punch which dislodged 3 molars and knocked the bully out cold. As they fell to the floor they broke their nose and fractured their eye socket.

I ended up in court defending the bullied child.

I realise this last part is fairly OTT and unusual, but people suggesting defence classes should think through the possible repercussions.

Miserylovescompany2 · 08/12/2016 07:22

If I was in your position OP, I would phone the school, get them to log this and ask them to monitor the situation at school. That way, you aren't showing up at school, so it won't get back to your son.

The incident itself sounded premeditated. Who carries squeezy cheese around? Especially, when it was most likely known of the phobia? Might the smearer of said cheese be jealous of your sons stronger friendship? Might squeezy-cheese-bully-boy be attempting to be top dog? Whatever the motive? It was a disgusting way to behave and extremely cruel. In an ideal world, you'd be able to approach the parents, they in turn would deal with the behaviour in an appropriate way.

If someone knocked on my door and told me my son had behaved in this way? I'd be having extremely stern words with him, he would also be losing his privileges for the foreseeable future. I would also like to think he'd see how unacceptable his behaviour was and off his own back appologise with sincerity to the other child? However, you don't know how the parents will react?

As for tit for tat? That one never ends well! I understand where your husband is coming from, but, as the old saying goes...Two wrongs don't make a right.

dowhatnow · 08/12/2016 08:38

I think you are handling it well for a one off incident. It needs escalating if it happens again.

Bobsmum02 · 08/12/2016 08:55

I think your plan is a good one op, definitely get the school involved, they need to be aware of the incident to watch out for others. For all we know j might have history of this type of behaviour with other children.

For those saying it's not a school issue, does this also apply to things like cyber bullying outside of school. Surely schools have a responsibility to intervene as the common denominator if nothing else??

Pidlan · 08/12/2016 08:59

Very sad that posters think that being teenagers means that people should put up with this kind of physical altercation. What a crappy lesson to tell them, "hmm yes, you're in the wrong age bracket to be upset at someone attacking you. Just tell them to fuck off." (And yes, I do have experience of this.) They are very nearly adult, and they matter! J deserves to be taught that this is wrong.
Schools are used to this- they can say that someone rang in to say that they'd seen this happening so as not to put your son in the shit.

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