Replies to '08/16 Bullies'

Quote From: rachelcody

 My son has been bullied in elementary school since the first grade.  He is now a fifth grader and will be attending a new school this year.  We start next week and he's afraid that the bullying will be started all over again with a new group of children.  I agree with Dr. Phil's son that the children standing around watching or creating these bullying scenarios are just as bad as the bullies.  My son has made himself physically ill so that he doesn't have to attend school.  He missed 1/3 of the school year in 2nd grade and the school threatened to hold him back.  I spoke to the principal frequently.  I even e-mailed the entire school board.  They just don't respond.  Either that or they tell me that I have to have my son rat on these children to get action.  Finally we ratted on them, I made my son name names.  What happened you ask?  The principal wrote it off to rough play.  All of the schools in the area I live in have an anti-bullying policy but nobody does anything about it.  My son hasn't found his talent.  He's a really good student and this problem is affecting his grades.

The cycle has now come to my house because my oldest son feels that he may bully his younger brother.  It's becoming a learned behavior.  I do punish him for acting the way he does towards his brother.  He does get the point of the punishment.  He just wants the bullying to stop.  He wants to make friends.

How can I help him this year?

Distraught Parent.