15 January 2024 , 15:27
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A woman says she is now extremely fearful about her young son's mental health after one of his classmates was cruel to him. And she has asked fellow social-media users if she's right to be upset. The mum revealed on Reddit that her six-year-old son had asked a classmate to play with him at breaktime, but was given a shocking reply by the other schoolchild.
But her son, who is already having problems connecting with his peer group, was told: "You're so annoying, you should kill yourself." The woman said this really made her cry, but other posters said that while they understood both her and her son's pain, it was par for the course for kids that age.
The woman, who works at the same school, explained: "I’m at a loss. I can’t remember the last time I cried so much. My six-year-old son has been having a difficult time making friends this school year. I work at the school and see first-hand how he tries to play with other boys in his grade and is often shut out."
The boy was heartbroken after being told to kill himself (Getty Images)She goes on to mention what his classmate said to him and added: "He told me about this that night and burst into tears. I obviously emailed his teacher (who subsequently spoke with both boys, emailed the parents, and documented the incident). Since I work at the school, I also spoke directly with our school counsellor to make sure he gets some time with her to chat."
But she also said she was worried about his birthday being close because she wants him to feel accepted. She admitted she was venting because she was so upset about it but also thanked other users for "all of the wonderful support that my post has brought", adding that she truly appreciated the time people had taken to try to put her mind at rest.
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Her fellow posters reminded her that: "Kids have always been really mean. They don’t know how to be a person, so it’s kind of just how they learn. Some kids lean towards meanness/harshness, others are kinder/gentler, some are just mirrors or in bad situations. The important part is that kids have appropriate negative consequences and positive reinforcement for their actions."
While another user said: "I can’t imagine what I’d do if another kid told mine, to kill themselves. I’ve volunteered in the class, prior, and some of the stuff some of the kids would say. It’s like, where did they learn this from. I know it obviously comes from the parents and/or older siblings," and a third advised her to be careful what social media her son has access to, saying: "My nephew is nine and has done a complete 180 with his behaviour since having YouTube taken away. Better grades, no more tantrums, no more swearing, better listening, more empathy in general. I highly recommend it."