I have an 8 year old and a fee times recently I've been told that he's said something nasty to another child.
Once the other kid got violent and in trouble and claimed it was in response to what my son said, but my son claimed he said something different and not as bad. No one else heard.
Another time a child and her mum came over and told me my son had said something really mean. My son denied it. The mum wasn't there herself so again it's one child's word against another.
To be clear, my son might very well have said these things. I've talked to him extensively about the impact his words can have, he's cried and said he wouldn't be so mean and he understands it's serious.
If I knew he'd said the things I would punish him but if course even if I think it's probably true I don't have any evidence. So what to do?