Monday was a holiday for me, so I got to pickup Lex from school with Shane & Isabel. I see Lex and know something is wrong because of the way he is walking to the car; very slow, feet dragging, melancholy expression. I immediately ask what is bothering him. He says he wants to tell us when we get home.
So, we sit down in the kitchen. He has our full attention. Lex explains that he was playing on the slides at recess with his friends and a boy taller than him (but still in 2nd grade) blocks the bottom of the slide so that no one can go down. Lex asks him to move so they can continue playing their game. The tall boy insists that he's not moving. Lex then asks if the tall boy wants to play with him & his friends. The tall boy chooses to continue to bully calling Lex's parents stupid & such and somewhere during this story Lex is pushed. Needless to say, Lex was bothered by this & told his teacher after recess, but since he didn't know the kid she couldn't do much at that time.
Lex has had issues with bullies at school. Last year and now this year. It even started the first week of school! This year it's never been the same kid more than once or twice and never someone he knows from class. Just random so he can't tell his teacher who it is. Well, this always gets him down as I'm sure it would any kid being bullied, but he keeps on going. I only feel helpless. We tell him what we can to continue to be strong. I offer to call the school to help; to make sure someone is watching. (What I really want to do is march over to that school, find those bullies, and tell them what's on my mind!)
Anyway, Lex did ask me to talk to his teacher this time (usually he says he can handle it). Mrs. Crown, his teacher, called me last night to tell me the whole story because kids at this age don't always retell events exactly how they happened. She also told me that Lex was able to point out the kid to her at recess the next day because he saw him again. Mrs. Crown did what any good teacher would do. She first confirmed that the story was the way Lex had told her. She was surprised to find out that Lex had even asked him if he wanted to play with him. With Love & Logic, she showed empathy to the tall kid about how sad she was that he chose to continue to bully instead of choosing to play along. After a little more adult intervention, she stepped back to see how the boys would handle it from there. The tall boy asked if Lex would like to play with him at next recess!
Mrs. Crown was so proud of Lex for his kind & mature actions, that she told his entire class about how he handled this situation. We are also so proud of him. Mrs. Crown could not stop gushing over Lex and how she loves having him in her class. She brought me to tears and as I told Lex how proud of him I was, I could not keep from crying. From the day he was born, Lex has always had a special, sweet soul about him. Even strangers could see it. As he grows, he continues to show us that even though there are mean people in this world, we can still show them kindness and befriend someone in need. In this case, the tall boy was asking for attention & instead of telling him to go away, Lex asked if he wanted to play. I can only hope to remember to display this sort of attitude the next time someone isn't so kind to me.
