One of the topics I have found I come across quite often since my 4 year old has started school is bullying in reception class. Who would have thought a 4 or 5 year old could be called bullies at such a young age.
Yet when I talk to other mums in the playground, I have to agree.
There seems to be a few of the youngest members of the school bullying other children in their class.
Girls seem to be much more vocal, rather than simply wresting or snatching the toy back, girls will use their vocal skills to demonstrate they should be the ones in charge.
“I won’t be your friend if you don’t give me your new hair clip” I heard one five year old girl say to my own daughter.
I watched as my little girl sadly took her favourite Peppa Pig hair clip out of her hair and handed it over.
I had no choice but to step in and intervene. While I want my children to learn to adapt into the school years easily, I also don’t want them to become targets to bullies. I want my children to know what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. A friend threatening not be her friend unless she gives her something, is not acceptable.
Although Kia is rather used to loosing toys or giving in thanks to the constant toy snatching and tantrums from 2 younger brothers, I have always taught the children the value of sharing and taking turns.
My daughter is very small, the others in her class all tower over her. She is quiet and gentle by nature. She prefers to “hand over” an object rather than have any confrontation. She also gets upset very easily.
Bullying in reception class should not be taking place and the teachers can only do so much. Children learn how to behave from their home life. Parents need to be teaching their children about behaviour and learning the correct social skills.
The way we teach our children at home in the younger years, definitely does arm our children with the ability to stand up to these bullies or become a bully. A child who has always been given what they demand by throwing a tantrum knows no difference.
I asked Kia what she would have done if this girl had taken her hair clip when I was not there. She replied that she would have told her teacher because the hair clip was hers and we are not to take things that belong to other people.
She then told me that she had just handed the clip over because she didn’t want to get into trouble from the other child’s mum ( who was stood close enough to have heard what her own daughter had said to mine). Yes I bit my tongue at that comment.
If I were to see any of my children bullying another there would be consequences to their actions.
“How would it make you feel if someone did or said that to you?” Is the first question I would be asking.
I want my children to learn social skills and be able to build friendships, confidence boosting is something I am very fond of doing with my own children. I want them to know they are very important and do have a choice in the way that others treat them. I want them to be able to say;
“Stop that, I do not like it”
Have you come across bullying at such an early age?
Related articles
About The Real Supermum
Bullying In Reception Class http://t.co/fPiwqMImbR
Iv had the same problem with my son being bullied. He would cry every morning that he didnt want to go to school. Said that someone kept pushing him and punching him in the belly. I confronted the teachet who said that at foundation/reception age a child is not capable of being a bully.
I could not disagree more my son was being bullied i went to the teacher every morning for a week and expressed my concerns. My son even made out he was ill and they rang me to collect him from school. Luckily my sons bullying problem is now sorted. The school didnt help a bit so i confronted the other boys mum. I would be horrified to find out my son had become a bully.
Bullying In Reception Class…http://t.co/eMoaKM8mBn
yep, i have this at the moment a boy in my daughters class keeps calling her thick & stupid
i think tbh at that age they r worse at bullying then say a 7/8yr old as like u said they use ‘i wont b ur friend’ to bully the other child into wat they want them to do 
xx
I haven’t seen any of this in my sons reception class but i can see it would happen. but i believe it is copied behaviour at this age xx
You’d not think kids this youge could bully but sadly it dose happen
My daughter is starting today and hope this don’t happen to her, she is also small for her age and soft hearted if someone wnts something of hers she will give it up. Like a girl in my street took the doll and pram of her and when I told her to go ask for it bk the girl took the doll and chucked it in my lg face and walked off with the buggy, at that point I stepped in and ask for my lgs buggy. Xx
Yes it does happen! !! And the schools are doing nothing about it!!!
I was bullied from a young age and this continued on and off until I left school at the age of 16. My problem? I was too dam soft, sensitive and insecure about myself. People will say kids will be kids, but there needs to be something put in place to stop people getting bullied. I think parents should be more responsible for their kids and should spend more time teaching them right from wrong. Some parents just dont give a monkeys about what their children say/do and that is half the problem.
My son starts school next year and I am absolutely dreading it. He is sensitive and also has speech difficulties. The other kids are going to love that!!!! I pray he doesn’t go what I went through.
Bullying In Reception Class http://t.co/eMoaKM8mBn
i cannot believe bullying is actually starting at reception age! my lb starts perschool/nursery sept and dreading it x
Rebecca gets so upset when she falls out with her friend, and the stories ive heard. a girl rips up a drawing Rebecca has made for her or put it in the bin. its horrible Rebecca has to learn to not take it to heart if someone is mean, but at the same time the girl shouldn’t behave in this way xx
I have never come across bullying at such a young age but its a shame other parent aren’t installing morals in their children x
It’s actually quite sad that children of such a your age bully other children! What happened to playing nicely? There was a little girl at my sons school who was bullying someone else and the teachers did nothing so the mother took it into her own hands x