A Wagga mum has called on parents to remind their kids about what it means to be a bully and the harm that it causes others. Photo: Motortion.
The last thing you would want to hear from your child after their first week of Kindergarten is that they were beaten up by their fellow classmates.
Tragically for Sharlette OMeley, that’s exactly what her son Axton told her.
“My son was on the phone with his dad one afternoon after school and after the call, his dad asked me, ‘What happened at school today?'” Sharlette said.
“He said I needed to have a chat with Axton, so I did and he told me that while he was playing with his new friends, three boys came up to him and said they were going to fight and punch him.
“I asked Axton, ‘What did they do? Did they hit you?’
“He told me that one of them punched him in the belly while the other two kicked him and pushed him to the ground. He said he was scared so he didn’t tell the teacher.
“I said, ‘You have to tell the teacher. You have to say stop, I don’t like it.'”
The incident prompted Sharlette to make an impassioned stand for kids everywhere as she posted an important message on social media pleading with parents to spread the right message to their children.
“Parents, make sure your kids know about bullying and the negative effects it has on our younger generation,” she posted.
“My son has JUST started kindergarten and has already been bullied (punched, kicked and pushed to the ground) on his THIRD DAY OF SCHOOL!
“I’ve brought it up with the teachers and have told my little one to go tell a teacher when things like this happen.
“Being bullied in school is not on. So parents, please remind your kids that emotional, verbal and physical bullying isn’t right.”
Sharlette’s call was seen by more than 400 others, with more than 100 people (mostly parents) leaving messages of support for Axton.
“I was not dissing the school or any of the teachers, I was just putting a reminder out for parents to educate their kids on bullies, what it means to be a bully and how to respond to getting bullied and stuff like that. That’s all it was,” she said.
“Other parents parent their children differently to how I parent mine and you never know what a kid is going through at home, but I believe it is worrisome that it’s happening at such a young age and that some parents push it aside.
“When I was looking at primary schools for my son I was asking around about every possible school and this particular school, I hadn’t heard anything bad about it. I can’t fault the school one bit, they responded quickly and said there is no place for nasty stuff like that.
“The principal explained to me that she’s got everything under control and that there’s a strict policy on bullying and stamping it out. So the message I have is to the parents – meet the schools halfway and educate your kids about what bullying is and how it affects others.”
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