This may get long and rambly and turn into a vent so bare with me. lol
So, Alex. My oldest. My boy. He is 11 years old. I know I am a little biased but I think he is just the most amazing, thoughtful kid ever. I have 2 girls who are so sweet and I love them to pieces but Alex is a rare gem these days. He thinks carefully about decisions because he never wants to hurt people's feelings. He is smart and kind and considerate.
So when I heard he was being picked on it broke my heart (as it would any parent) Ayden doesn't get picked on. She is the popular one that everyone likes. Alex is a little shy and quiet........and tiny. He is 4 years older than Ayden but only about 2 or 3 inches taller. Anyway, I would always ask him how his day was and he would just say "good" while Ayden would tell me every detail that happened from the time I dropped her off till I picked her up.
I know kids get picked on but this was getting ridiculous. Apparently some of the boys in his class wouldn't touch anything that Alex had touched because they said he was nasty. The called him other names and either completely ignored him when he would try to talk to them or they would tell him to shut up. He brought his Nintendo Power magazine to school and none of the boys would touch it and they all told him that it was stupid. Stuff like that. We had already planned on homeschooling Alex & Ayden next year anyway but once I found out all of this was going on (I should say STILL going on because I did know some stuff was going on) we had debated on starting in January.
Well he had a field trip a few weeks ago and his teacher sat next to him on the bus so no one was mean to him. I broke my heart that she even had to do that. So for the next few days I cried when I would think about sending him into that. No wonder he never wanted to go to school. I found out that this stuff was happening DAILY!
So, over the weekend D and I decided that we would homeschool starting in January. I went Monday and filled out their withdrawal slips and told the kids that they could tell their teachers and friends. Alex came home that day and said those boys cheered that he wasn't coming back. Then on Tuesday they told him that the party they were having Friday was because everyone was so glad he wasn't coming back. I couldn't believe it.
Finally on Thursday the Dean of Students called me to tell me that she had Alex in her office and he had something to tell me. It just all came out. Everything these boys had been doing to him. I had emailed his teacher the night before so she asked Alex about it and he said they had said all the same stuff again that morning and she burst into tears and said she had had enough. The boys were in the principals office and their parents were called and they were all made to apologize to Alex. Some of the parents were so shocked at what their kids had been doing.
So, Friday was their party and a few of the boys wrote him notes telling him how sorry they were and to please not leave the school because of them. That they were trying to be cool and fit in and now realize how wrong they were. Part of me wanted to tell them "too little too late" but Alex said of course he would forgive them. *sniff* He is a much better person than I am. One boy (my guess is he is the ring leader) wrote him a letter that was heartless and forced. He also got some letters from some of the girls in class telling him how sweet he always is and how much they liked him.
Alex's poor teacher (who I have to say is absolutely, hands down, the most amazing teacher ever) was so, so sad to see him go but we will keep in touch with her. She knew some of the stuff that was going on but since a lot of it happened before school and Alex wouldn't tell anyone, it was difficult for her to do anything. Alex didn't tell me a lot of it so I was shocked to hear all of it. I have been crying (feels like non stop) since Thursday but I am so glad he won't have to deal with it there anymore.
I hope these boys have learned a lesson. We are going to have Alex evaluated for Asperger's Syndrome since I have had about 5 people (teachers and parents) recommend that I do. It sure would explain A LOT! Once they told me about it and I read about it I was so relieved that something can explain why he has such a hard time with things.
I am going to do my best to make homeschooling so much fun. Ayden (even as social as she is) is so excited.
SO, thanks for "listening". Being a mom is so tough sometimes.
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