DS age 10 has just told me that a boy in his class has for the past week or so been targeting him with mean comments in front of the other pupils, e.g. saying he watches Paw Patrol/uses some ‘babyish’ app (he doesn’t, not that it matters) and if DS ignores him, calls out things like “There you go, he’s not denying it!”
He’s also sneakily kicking the back of DS’ chair and ignoring him when told to stop.
What hurts DS in particular is that this boy used to be a good friend.
I’s genuinely be surprised if DS has done something to spark this off - I know all mothers will say this, but he’s genuinely a good egg.
According to DS, what started it off was an anti-bullying activity. How ironic. 😒
The children had to draw straws to be certain characters in a small play. DS was landed with what everyone was calling the ‘cringiest’ role, i.e. that of the bullied child - which immediately suggests the whole point of the play was going right over their heads.
Since the play was performed, some of DS’ classmates made a few silly comments which DS took good-naturedly and they’ve since stopped - apart from this one boy who clearly enjoyed seeing my usually confident and happy DS in the position of a bullied child.
I’ve armed DS with some suggestions of what he can do next and will pick this up with the school if it carries on. Just wondering if I an right to think it’s a bad idea to get 10 year olds - not always known for their maturity and reasonable behaviour - to role play bullying behaviour in an attempt to demonstrate that it’s wrong?