How would you feel if you saw your child come home, covered in bruises and with bandages wrapped around his arm? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Connie O’Brien when her son, Aiden got home.
It was about a girl
9-year-old Aiden was found covered in bruises and also suffered kidney damage after an attack by bullies.
Aiden was attacked by other students from his school, leaving him bruised and battered. Apparently, the attack was because of a girl. Aiden’s mother said that she was “absolutely floored that this would happen at his age.” It’s still not clear if the attack was a one-time thing, or if it has happened before.
Photo from: flickr.com
According to a statement from the boy, he repeatedly approached staff in the school regarding the incident, but he was ignored. Connie’s mother now has some doubts about how the school handles bullying concerns such as what happened to her son.
Safety and security is paramount
The school released a statement saying that their student’s safety and security is paramount and that they will be looking into the matter, but they have declined to provide any information if the bullies had been punished.Connie has since transferred her son to a different school, hoping that her son will have a better environment there. Suffice to say, his mother was disappointed with how the school has handled the incident.
Go to the next page to learn more about the signs of bullying!
Bullying: The signs
As parents, we do our best in order to protect our child, most especially when it comes to bullying. However, in some cases, our children might be afraid to talk to us or an authority figure about it. That’s why it’s important that we know the signs to watch out for in case our child might be bullied. Here are some of the signs to watch out for:
- Injuries that your child can’t explain or might be hiding – If your child is hiding any injury from you, it’s a clear sign that they might be getting bullied. Talk to your child about it so that you can discuss what steps you can take to prevent any further escalation.
- Missing books, toys, or torn clothing – If your child goes to school with a toy, and then goes home without it, then it might be a bully taking his/her things. This is also true if your child goes home with torn clothing.
- Faking being sick, frequent stomachaches and headaches – Your child might be trying to fake being sick in order to avoid going to school, since they might be getting bullied. This is a telltale sign that you need to watch out for.
- Drastic change in habits, such as eating habits – This is another telltale sign that your child is being bullied. If your child suddenly has no interest in things that he/she used to love, then it could be a potential sign that they’re being bullied at school.
- Low grades – Low grades can sometimes be a sign of bullying, especially for kids that usually have good grades. If you see a dip in your child’s performance that you can’t explain, look further into what might be causing it.
- Attempts of running away from home, or other similar behaviour – If you see that your child has suddenly engaged in self-destructive behaviour, you need to sit down your child and talk to them about it. Chances are, they might be bullied at school.
READ: Cyberbullying causes depression, nightmares and anorexia, study says
Sources: stopbullying.gov, Parent Herald, Liftable
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