To think we need to contact the school about knife

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

DS 7 told me last night at dinner that a kid pulled a penknife on him after he bumped into the other child accidentally. This child is 8 or 9 I think.

DS went straight to a teacher who chastised the other boy.

I told DS to stay far away from this child and explained that sometimes people can do crazy things and the fact that this child had threatened him might indicate this child is dangerous. My son was upset, saying that this was his friend. I told him that is not the way friends behave and reiterated he was to stay away from this boy. I think my son was a little scared when I said this, but honestly I don't mind him being slightly afraid of a child who brandishes a knife. There are so many kids who watch all kinds of violent things nowadays, so who knows what this child may do.

My husband thought I was overreacting and said that at that age he stupidly brought a knife to school too and it's just a typical thing kids do. While I can see this, this child wasn't just showing off this knife, from what my son described, he threatened him.

I'm considering calling the school or at least contacting the teacher, but I'm afraid to make my son a target or make a mountain out of a molehill.

WWYD?

Is this a serious question? Yes of course you need to report it, I can't believe you need to ask.

You MUST report it.

Imagine if that child injured another and you hadn’t shared this information

You guys are right of course. I think I was downplaying it in my head. Would you call the teacher.or go straight to the head?

Your husband thought you were overreacting? Is he prone to violence? I can’t imagine in what scenario anyone would ever think you were overreacting?

What the hell is wrong with your husband? His 7yo child has been threatened with a knife, and he says you're overreacting?! Is he one of these wet farts who babbles "we can't bother the doctor" when you're bleeding to death on the floor?

You have to report it, for the sake of everyone involved. It's a no-brainer.

For context, we live in a rural area of the US where children my son's age are typically allowed to use pocketknives. My son's cousin, also 7 has already shot guns. So I think in my husband's eyes this is very minimal. But I definitely understand I was not taking it seriously enough.

Knives are not allowed at school of course.

@Mummame222

It's very common for young children here to have knives, to drive motorized vehicles, work on farms, shoot guns etc. I think this has shaped my husband's viewpoint but of course this is no excuse for either of us.

Are typically allowed to use pocket knives? LOL for what exactly?

DS went straight to a teacher who chastised the other boy.

Did the teacher confiscate the knife?

Threatening your friends with a knife is not a typical thing kids do.

@sprigatito

You are right. I'm going to contact my son's teacher today.

I would e mail the teacher and copy in the head. I would say about the knife and your concerns in a factual way. Ask what actions have/will be taken.

Pen knife's could be a cubs whittling knife as an example. I'm not condoning the behaviour and it should be reported. I have heard of similar and know boys do a lot of this type of role play. Normally with sticks however. I did know a child do it with a bread knife this was dealt promptly at my DD's school but they did a whole class/school approach rather than singling out the one child. Educating them on the dangers etc.

@Mummame222

Just to mess around and cut sticks and stuff mostly. But a lot of kids would use them to help out on the farm.

@FOJN

I don't know if the knife was confiscated. My son said he just saw the teacher speaking to the boy firmly.

@Hopebridge

Yea, my husband seemed to be of an opinion this was just a child being foolish. Which I could see, but the way my son described it seemed a bit more.

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant I’m just baffled by that if I’m honest. I’m not sure the advice on here is going to help you to much because over here we clearly just live a totally different life style. You’d be best off asking parents at the school your DC attends.

As it’s normal for 7 year olds to carry these there (wtf) it would come down to your child’s word against his to how serious the threat actually was. Where are you from?

No, but I would argue it’s not a typical thing to allow a kid access to but apparently where they are from that’s not the case 😕

@Mummame222

I'm British. I think honestly here in the land of the school shooting, knives rank fairly low of the list of their priorities or something. Not sure.

I just contacted the teacher and she told me she will look into it and make the principal (headmistress) aware.

He has a SHOTGUN?

Wth

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant That must be very confusing for you. I think us Brits would all say yes report it, but it doesn’t sound like you’ll get the same response over there as you would if it happened in school over here.

Or stab each other

@benjoin

He doesn't own a gun, but yes, he has shot his father's gun under supervision. We have concealed carry here, which means I would be authorized to carry a gun in my handbag (which many do).

My kids owned their own knives from the age of 8, DH and I both taught bushcraft and we all used knives regularly. Nothing outlandish about that. However unlike the child in the OP, ours were never allowed to take them out without one of us knowing they had it and what for, and it was put away with our other knives when not in use. They were taught knife safety and knew that owning any sharp tool came with responsibility. A child waving a knife around at school and threatening to harm people is a world away from a child owning and using a knife appropriately.

@Mummame222

I feel stupid for even asking on here. After a decade of living in this community I suppose the mentality is starting to rub off on me.