Small boys, rough play and being kept in at playtime...

[Pantone363]

Ok I want honest opinions (OP you are a twat and in the wrong are fine ).

I had a phone call after school today from DS teacher regarding an incident yesterday.

DS and some other children were playing tag (although more likely the grab each others coats swinging them round kind of tag). Some girls were playing too. DS caught one girl and pushed/pulled her to the ground (there's no evidence today she wasn't playing along doing the same thing to the boys). The girl then says that DS and 3 other boys kicked her whilst she was on the floor. DS admits pulling her to the ground but says he didn't kick her.

All 4 boys have lost their lunchtimes today and tomorrow and then breaktime for the next two days.

I have a few problems with this

1. She was playing along fine, if it was my DD I'd be telling her not to play tag with the boys if she can't suck it up if they get a bit rough.
   

1. DS swears blind he didn't kick her
   

1. Nobody else saw the kicking, theres no evidence other than this girls report to her mother.
   

1. Where were the playground staff?
   

1. I can't see that keeping 4 boisterous 5 yr old boys in all day is going to help anyone.
   

I've made DS write the girl a card saying sorry for pulling her over.

Am I being a job for thinking this is poorly handled and just point the finger at the rough naughty boys?

[Hullygully]

Well done Pantone, it's always a shock when we discover our beloved dc are as human as the next child.

I'd say he did it because they were all hyped up, and he was joinging in mindlessly with the others.

Which is precisely why this sort of play can't be allowed...!

And personally I wouldn't have taken stuff away/punished. Just talked a lot about it and how he felt, the other child felt etc so that he really understood. His own feelings and your disappointment are his punishment.

[pictish]

Agree with Hully.

This is an opportunity, not a disaster!

[Hullygully]

And if you take stuff away, in his mind that equals I did X so Y happened, not I did X and I feel bad so I'd better not do it again. Punishments cancel out wrongdoing, not prevent it.

[Pantone363]

We've reiterated again and again how disappointed and disgusted we are at what happened.

I'm not sure what to do now about his Muay Thai classes. On one hand he loves them and they give him a physical outlet and on the other I don't think he is getting sanctioned fighting and roughness in the playground. I might speak with his instructor, he has always been very strict about fighting outside of the club.

[Pantone363]

Pictish, you've mentioned the piss off thing a few times now. I get it, you don't want my 'type' of child around yours. You don't need to mention it again.

[Hullygully]

Good plan re the instructor. I think he is perfectly capable of learning where it is and isn't permissible to have physical contact, so long as you are clear and consistent too!

[RainSunWind]

I still think the school should find a way of addressing this though. Not just "don't kick - don't push" etc but talking about being kind, everyone enjoying the game, if someone has an accident who will help him/her (ie the girl falling over). What should they do if someone is sad in the playground. etc etc. It is really positive that your DS has admitted he kicked. He's only 5, he obviously got caught up in the moment. But the group shouldn't have been allowed to get so rough and be pulling each other to the ground (especially with clothing) it's an accident waiting to happen, it's not play.

[BashfulBunny]

IMO I think the OP has handled this (as it has developed) correctly.

Firstly, I do agree that rough play should be discouraged, no question. But I completely disagree that when her DS was insisting he hadn't kicked, that she should have called him a liar (in the absence of any reason) by punishing him for it anyway when you don't know what actually happened.

All that teaches is that you get punished regardless of whether you misbehave or not, and that your mum doesn't believe what you say. A desire to prevent rough play should not come at the expense of encouraging honestly and a fair hearing.

As it was, he owned up, showing that he knows it was wrong and that he knows he should tell the truth. If he hadn't, then a frank conversation about why kicking would not be acceptable gets the point across without presupposing dishonesty.

Agree with Rain

[pictish]

I've mentioned it twice, and I'm sorry that you feel offended by it, but up until this thread, you didn't care who your son's behaviour hurt or offended whatsoever...in fact, it was their own fault for being a wuss wasn't it? Don't come crying to me etc etc...

I'm very pleased for you, and especially your son, that you have seen the light, but you said it was fine to tell you you were being a twat, and on this thread you have been, arguing your son's right to push other kids over in the playground.

Excuse me for finding that a very aggravating trait in a fellow parent.

I won't say owt else.

[cory]

Bashful, I think that is why a lot of us would go for a policy of remaining neutral: neither double punishing or assuming that the school was wrong to punish in the first place. I've lost count of the number of times I've said to dc "well, I can't really know who was right, because I wasn't there". It's about letting go and accepting that somebody else is in charge when you're not there.

[BashfulBunny]

Fair point cory

[YoniSingWhenYoureWinning]

My arse the teachers should have remained neutral as it was her word against theirs and how dreadful if the boys were to be labelled as bullies.

The girl had just been had a group of boys kicking her as she lay on the ground. The teachers would have known she was telling the truth because she was probably absolutely hysterical.

[WafflyVersatile]

they are not being kept in for rough and tumble they are being kept in because the girl was (allegedly) kicked. Kicking a child on the ground is not 'playing tag' which is presumably what the girl signed up for.

It's not the end of the world that he's being kept in for a few days. He'll live.

There is a line between rough and tumble and real aggression. Kicking would cross that line. R&T and play fighting plays a significant role in child (yes, particularly boy's) social development. There are rules, negotiated between the individuals and the culture they are brought up in, such as the school playground. The teachers play a role in setting and maintaining those rules otherwise it can all get a bit Lord of the Flies.

[JohnnyUtah]

OP - he felt that he should tell you, and he knew he'd done wrong. Those are both massive pluses. Five year olds are bonkers, that's why these playground rules exist. You might want to rethink the wrestling at home a bit - that's quite a mixed message you are giving him there.

[MERLYPUSS]

Pantone
I have only read a bit of this thread so far so cannot comment on everything (go on roast me on a spit everyone else)
In our school the boys generally DO race around like monsters and swing each other by the hood/jumper. I have 5yr male twins and they are the same.
They play with the girls doing the 'race round thing' but I have watched the girls assess the game before deciding to join in. Just like when they play scooby doo and zombies.
Kicking is way out of order but I am sure (by the amount of kneed out trousers and scraped knees from the boys) many mums of boys would agree there IS a certain ammount of pulling onto the floor and rolling around type of play. My 2 are a perfect case and I have never had letters form the school.