12 yr'o bullied, cheeky because of trauma

Milly mops

I'm worried about my 12 year old son. He's intelligent, confident, engaging, loyal, funny, kind and much loved by family.

However he left primary without any friends. It was heart breaking to see all others hugging on the final day, while he looked totally uncomfortable and couldn't get out quick enough. He has no friends at home in the park we live in. There where problems there too with a bad bunch of kids.

Irecently signed him up for a coach/psychotherapist who explained that my son has been exposed to years of bullying at school and that has impacted his behavior. He can be very cutting, angry, argumentstive , etc as defenses mechanism. I'm so sad I didn't spot the extent of the bullying and approach the school.

He was friends with some of the bullies all throughout school.

He's on a group Snapchat with the class and he's has been cutting... insulting one if the bullies hair, and cutting to others and bringing up old quarrels. I've talked to him about this asked him to come off the chat or don't engage negatively.

I'm glad I know where we are at, we've support in place and a new start at secondary to look forward to. But all the same kids who have excluded him will be there.

We'll get there with help, and he's an opportunity to re-prsent himself, with all the love snd support from home and from his coach, but I'm so worried.

airy fairy

Contact the school before it reopens to students, if you haven't already done so. Make an appointment to see the principal and his year head. They need to be made aware of what has happened so they can prepare. They need to be aware of how your son can react due to trauma, how he's seeing someone for his mental health and who these kids are.

Keeping up with therapy, possibly age appropriate CBT would be necessary to give him the tools to cope with what challenges lies ahead as regards to seeing these kids every day and how to not react and control himself. There are a lot of below standard people that claim to offer CBT so please research.

Make your son aware that this is a fresh start and between you, you will try make school a pleasant experience by communicating with each other. Step away from the Snapchat with these kids, he doesn't need them. New beginnings and all that.

Hopefully he'll find his tribe, but it may take time.

Milly mops

Thank you airy fairy, I did intend on contacting the new school but you are right, I'll be very intentful about it.

I've no doubt he will, and he'll be stronger, but its going to take time.