My youngest child has enjoyed the first week of his new school. I think.
He has successfully managed to do a lot more homework without more than a five minute tantrum and he accepted that he needed to change his story on Oliver Twist only briefly from:
“Dear Diary,
There I was working my butt off – starving”
To
“Dear Diary,
There I was working very hard – starving”
Which I think is more appropriate for a 10 year old approach to the theme of conditions in the workhouses.
He brought in the wrong bag of PE kit once and had to miss two hours of games and had a drum lesson which he reported “was shit”. But he was invited back for a play yesterday after school with another boy and seems to be happy.
Just. One. Problem. A possible bullying issue. It’s hard to tell. He came back a few days ago with lots of holes in the front of his brand new sweatshirt. Apparently a boy wielding a pair of scissors had cut at his stomach several times – he had apologised afterwards – hadn’t meant to do any damage. I thought that was odd behaviour – dangerous behaviour in fact. But as both my other two children pointed out it would be “SOCIAL SUICIDE” to go in and make a fuss when he’s just started and is trying to find his feet and fit in with the already established hierarchy. So I decided to leave it, but said to him, “let me know if anything else happens” and he said, “well, actually, you know I told you I’d fallen over and hurt my ankle yesterday and I’ve got a really big bruise and a scratch – well I didn’t fall over – the same boy threw a log at me……”
As a mother, I could feel my hackles rising. My instinct is to wade in. However. I can’t. Not yet. I have to balance the trauma of having his mother get involved and making a fuss and risking a major backlash together with trying to help him manage the stormy weather of establishing friendships and finding his feet (although it really isn’t that stormy with boys is it – it’s about a game of football – if you play, you’re in. If you don’t, you’re out).
He is insisting that both issues were an accident. That the boy didn’t mean to. That he’s really nice. So for the moment I’m going to believe him and hope for the best. Maybe they will be the best of friends. I have to let him try and manage the situation for himself.
Fingers crossed.
LoopyLu
September 12, 2010Hey, so mayne it would be social suicide for you, as his mother, to get involved but what about his big, strapping brother? Maybe he could give the little poop bag a few glaring shots?
BTW, how’s your friend? Did the pillow turn up? Does she like it? x
Family Affairs
September 12, 2010I sent you an email about the pillow – didn’t you get it?? Send me the right email address again – so sorry if you haven’t received my thank you = and yes, will get him to mention all his big scary brothers Lx
LoopyLu
September 12, 2010Oh yes, just seen your e-mail, very rarely check hotmail, usually use the tiscali one 🙂
Hope your son gets this possible bullying business dealt with quickly. It’s awful. I’m so lucky my twelve year old is a hulking 5’10 and rapidly growing. Bullies don’t approach him because he’s so much bigger than them x
Family Affairs
September 12, 2010My child is huge too!! Lx