This is a picture of my youngest son, Bud. We homeschooled Bud until the 7th grade. He finished both 5th and 6th grades together so he could skip up and enter 7th grade at a public middle school with his friends.
Bud loved 7th grade. He is an attractive and pleasant boy and made lots of new friends. The problem was that some of the boys he knew from the neighborhood were jealous that Bud was getting so much positive attention when he was so new to the school.
One day, about two months in to the school year, Bud was walking his bike home from school so he could talk to a couple of his walking friends. They had only got as far as the sidewalk in front of the athletic fields when Bud was knocked off his bike from behind. An 8th grader, who had knocked him down, jumped on Bud and started punching him in the face and ribs. Fortunately, Bud’s friends started screaming for help and a neighbor across the street from the school came out and scared the bullies away.
For some reason, Bud decided to finish walking home – about a mile away. When he got home he told me what had happened. I immediately took some pictures and called the police who sent an officer out for an “informational report.” I have since found out that an “informational report” usually means the police are not taking you seriously. The officer also told me I should contact the police officer assigned to the school. I called but had to leave a message as it was after school hours.
The next day my husband and I drove Bud to school and asked for an immediate meeting with the principal. We relayed the story of what had happened. The principal questioned both my son and the older boy separately and fortunately the older boy confessed. The principal notified us that the boy had been suspended for five days, but apparently if he had not confessed there was nothing the school could do.
Later in the school year Bud came home with the bruise you see in the picture above. An older boy, again one whom Bud had considered a friend approached Bud and his friends at lunch demanding money. When Bud refused, the boy punched Bud hard in the ribs and once in the face, then calmly walked away. Bud refused to report the incident as he as unsure anyone would support his claim for fear of retribution.
Look for Part 2 of the series on Tuesday, October 25th
For more information please see my article: Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Bullies
Window on the World 
Birdie
/ December 8, 2011*SORRY THIS IS SO LONG!*
This just makes my heart sad. Not only because my children could one day be bullied (which my son was HEAVILY bullied when he was in SECOND grade and the school done NOTHING), but also because I was bullied as a child myself. EVERYDAY. It was horrible. I hated it & it made me hate myself.
Then one day, roughly 15 years later, I got two emails.
Referring to one specifically:
A girl was looking for me because she was wanting to apologize to me from when we were in school together. She stated that she had been looking for me over the years because she was sorry for what she had put me through. She told me she felt so bad for she all & that she would love to have ME back in her life as HER FRIEND (& was also hoping our kids could play together).
I always tried to get along with everyone, and all I was “put through,” I still never talked bad about anyone or tried to seek “revenge.”
Just last month – After facial masks & girl talk, I encouraged more girl talk & proceeded to wash the feet & paint the toenails of ONE of the girls who bullied me every.single.day & beat me up (or had others beat me up on NUMEROUS occasions) for two years. Never in a million years would I have imagined that happening. However, what I couldn’t pull myself through – God did. Now, I’ve got a new friend & she’s got a new outlook on life & God! 🙂
Teressa M.
/ December 8, 2011Birdie – Thank you so much for sharing!! It gives me hope for the future for my son that some of these boys will turn their lives around and become productive and responsible adults.