Why? How do you handle some one bullying your child

A year ago, my grandson was punched in the jaw at school because he talked to the bully's girlfriend. I immediately went to the parents and informed them of what happened. Their son apologized and I thought it was isolated and now done with.

Now my grandson, age 12, has been through a lot in the past few years. The most difficult thing was finding his father dead on the bedroom floor 4 years ago. He and his little brother, age 3, and his mother found him after coming home from work, school and daycare. My son-in-law had been sick for a week, refused to go to the doctor and died from an enlarged heart and pneumonia. What a shock. As a result my wife and I have been helping to raise the boys. To keep them busy and help them get on with life, one or the other or both have been in flag football, football, basketball, baseball, t-ball, swimming.

A year ago my grandson broke his arm at basketball camp (he was also playing baseball). He continued playing baseball with a cast on his arm and within three weeks, started a game at 2nd base. He later rebroke the arm at the Wold Series. He went into football wearing a cast and did some drills and lots of running. His knee began to bother him, but he continued running. After his arm was being x-rayed to see healing progress, we asked to the doctor to examine his knee. An x-ray showed a suspicious spot and we were sent to a specialist at Children's Mercy in Kansas City. The end result was a fragmented area of the epiphysis (growth plate area). This is a serious injury.

My grandson had missed 4 weeks of baseball and now all of football. He was put in a full leg cast and was on crutches for 4 weeks and then put in a walking cast. After 3 weeks of physical therapy, he was cleared the day before Christmas to play sports. He played basketball for 4 weeks and then went down hill. He was first diagnosed with Mono and walking pneumonia. Later on in a further test they found it was not mono. He continued to go downhill. He lost 10 pounds (100 down to 90 lbs), nauseated every morning, not eating, and finally said he didn't want to go to schooL and FINALLY HE TOLD US WHY. HE WAS BEING BULLIED AT SCHOOL BY THE SAME BOY WHO HIT HIM LAST YEAR.

Now, what to do? It was apparent that going to the parent had done no good.

We contacted the school and they were great. They were all over it. Teachers were informed. The bully was stopped. Now I will say the bullying was mostly name calling, put downs, that kind of thing. A little shoving, but no hitting. The end result was, we thought, that the issue was settled.

My grandson came home 2 days ago and said the bully had punched him in the mouth (splitting his lip). Well, we informed the school and they took action.

Last night the bully’s father came to our door very angry and accusing my grandson of lying about the incident. And said “I’m going to the superintendent and prove your grandson is the problem.” I said “do what you have to do”.

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