Moving on from being bullied

[bobblehat]

We've recently found out that ds who's 8yo has been bullied at school. Apparently it's been going on a while although he didn't tell anyone about it. The school have done their bit and the offending children have been dealt with.

The problem is where do we go from here. Apart from this he loves school, but doesn't have many friends. We moved to a new area last year and I've tried helping him by suggesting he invites friends over, but the one time he tried he was turned down and I think it really upset him, and knocked his confidance so he didn't want to ask anyone else.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to how I can help him make more friends. He's been going to beavers, but there's no children here he's bonded with, and they are all children from his school anyway. He moves up to cubs soon, but again they are from his school.

Thanks

[bobblehat]

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[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

Poor lad.

Have you spoken to his teacher about friends at school? Are you friendly with a mum who's child is in your son's class? You could have a chat with her and arrange a meet up.

[claig]

does he like football, is he quite good at it? That often helps with popularity. A good way of joining in is to offer to go in goal. There is usually a shortage of people willing to go in goal.

[abride]

Good idea from claig.
My shy son found being OK at football helped a lot.

[bobblehat]

That's part of it, all the boys are really into football and he hates it. We've tried suggesting he gives it a go (his younger brother loves it) but it really doesn't interest him. Dh's friend runs a karate school in the next town so I think we're going to try that - he used to do it where we lived before and he loved it but the classes in this town are a lot different and he didn't enjoy it.

I've started going into school to help out (this was arranged before we found out about all of this) and it just makes me feel awful seeing him wandering around on his own, although it doesn't seem to bother him. I just think if he could make a couple of friends he'd at least have a couple of allies

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

Has he tried Games Workshop? They run clubs for children.

[elliemental]

I have a very similar sounding son. He loves pokemon - all the others are in a football team. I asked teacher if he played with anyone. Turns out there are 3 lads who although are football mad, are also obsessed with pokemon. I invited all three round, individually and then as a group and now he has a nice little posse.
He is not a Group Activity sort of child.