Deal with it

For the last two years Daniel was classified as special ed. One of the perks, or not - depending on your point of view, is the short bus, and last year he had a bus all to himself with an awesome driver and aide to keep him company.

This year he is no longer in special ed, and takes a regular bus to school. It's worked out ok for the most part.

But recently he has been talking about how all the kids on the bus hate him.

When you have a kid who's different, no matter what the issues may be, you know this day will come. There's always at least one kid who specializes in picking on, and bullying the other kids.

I have to say, that it seems like for the most part, the kids in his class are ok with Daniel. Although there have been some small issues with some kids and Daniel's "adult-like" behavior and "know-it-all-ness". His teacher has a good handle on the class and they have an integrated program on tolerance.

The bus, however, is a different story.

He's trying his best to handle it, but it's never easy. His dad and I have shared our own stories about our experiences with bullies and teasing and the inevitableness of it. He asked us what our parents did to make the situation better, but the response from both of us was, "Um, nothing. They weren't able, or willing to help." It was the seventies after all, no one stood up for their kids. Remember the clothes they made us wear? If parents cared for their children in the seventies they would not have made us wear orange plaid wool bell bottoms. I'm just saying.

But in a discussion with his dad the other night Daniel commented:

"I have to learn how to deal with it, because it's not like I can expect all the other kids to go to therapy to learn how to deal with me."

Hmm, speaking of therapy, maybe it's time for another visit.

Comments

[Loth]

Urgh, this is the bit I hate most. My 9 year old son told us, just in passing the other day, that in class they had been playing a game that needed two people and he had had to partner with the teacher because "No-one ever wants to have me as their partner". Made me want to scoop him up and buy him his own school.

[kyra]

what an amazing thing for daniel to say!

i hate the bullies. i wish i could ride the bus with him.