when i got to the school to drop my niece off for kindergarten on friday afternoon, one of my son's friends ran up and told me that my son was hurt on the other side of the school. i left her in the supervised JK/SK yard and headed around back to find him.

thankfully he just had a bloody nose, not broken or seriously bleeding, but bloodied. (*#@!N bullies!)

long story short, neither of us was prepared. mama bear spazed and didn't bring my "purse", which has kleenex, a bandana and a first aid kit in it. i was just jumping out of the car to deliver her to her teacher, so left it in there. lesson learned.

he's got all three in his backpack too, knows how to use them and has, but it stays in the school at lunch and recess. he's got kleenex and bandaids in his coat pocket now, but what else should i make him edc on his person? my pockets are loaded (kleenex restocked, bandana replaced and 1st aid kit returned), but he's rough and tumble, so his need to be light and soft. he's 7, and i always figure his teachers should be prepped for those times, but he didn't go to them, just went and sat by himself. (that's another long story, that ends with him moving to a new, much smaller school in a couple of weeks.)

Thanks!

Hi,
looks like your son has just about everything you could expect him to carry. Bullying is the pits, I'm glad you seem to have a way forward.

Two possible suggestions: a list of contact phone numbers for him to carry and a mini whistle.

I've got a few mini whistles on order (no affiliations) for my kids (and me).
They can be threaded to make a paracord pull tab which I'll attach to their jackets, bags and I'll put one on their keyrings. They are surprisingly loud for their size.

(I hope this picture works)

Kinda OT, but FWIW, re bullying: in my young and formative years, I was taught to turn the other cheek, always. Noble sentiment and a worthy aspiration; but in a tough school, you need to prove a willingness to fight before words of peace have any meaning. A sad commentary, perhaps; but the human animal is what it is. There are many who will not discern an active effort for peace from passive fear and weakness. I did what I was expected to do: turned the other cheek. I confess that there are a few heads I would still like to clock (and am quite capable of adjusting the timing of, including the time zone). I think my sister, in instructing her boys, had a better approach: you don't throw the first punch, but by gad you throw the second. My $0.02.

thin nylon wallet with photo ID, public phone calling card or coins, emergency contact numbers,family dentist and doctor's name, hospital choice and any prescription meds, list of any non family members allowed to transport him.... a couple of ..3x3 gauze pads, cloth knuckle bandages, antiseptic wipes, discrete whistle,micro light, colored handkerchief that doesn't show blood, easy to use bandage tape



I worked at a high school, and although the contact information was on file in the clinic, was not available after general working hours...problems arise on who has the right to pick up the student in case of marital custody disputes...what treatment is allowed under religious beliefs etc.... we have a process called the "Baker Act" (typically reserved for intoxicated or mental patients to prevent harm to themselves)under which our resource officer could place a student in protective custody to allow emergency services to treat

One tool for a kid I would suggest is a flashlight. In a building, lights do go out. It is nice to have a source of light.

Also, what if something goes wrong, someone is not where they are supposed to be and it's after dark. Once again, a flashlight comes in handy.

Jeanette Isabelle

Thanks gang!

He`s got a full compliment of stuff in his school backpack but we definitely need to get him to carry some on his person or in his coat. the pack does him no good at recess or lunch. The wallet with info, small 1st aid kit, whistle and light are great ideas. I`m not sure about the whistle`s effectiveness but I`m an optomist. I`m still trying to convince him to wear a micro photon around his neck like me, but it`s too distracting for him.

As for the bullying, I`ve got an appoitment with the principal today, with a few of the other parents. The school is just too big, with too many kids on the field and not enough supervision. the big kids are preying on the little kids and it`s not right. We`re moving him to a smaller school at the end of the month and have already seen positive signs there.

Our family rule is simple: don`t throw the first punch, use your words first and then try to get away. If that doesn`t work, go ahead and fight back.

I was in a new school every year from K-9 (Army brat). I got to break in a new bully every year. Fortysome years ago the SOP of turning the other cheek and telling the staff was generally ineffective--but was my only course of action. Three weeks into sixth grade, I hit my set point, and stomped the snot out of the bully (i.e. Ralphie, in 'A Christmas Story'). When he came back into school with raccoon eyes, a taped nose, and a broken wrist, he was NOT interested in me. That reputation successfully followed me across town to junior high the following year. Guess who the 9th graders didn't mess with?
I didn't get much negative feedback from that incident, but I hate to think what it would be like today.
What I did learn in high school from that, was that a more controlled attack could strike as much fear/respect, with less damage.

edited for clarity

Does he carry a house key yet? That is a great place for a small light as well.

Regarding the bullying, that's the big problem here. It needs to be addressed immediately somehow.

If you are in an area where a jacket is always going to be worn at recess, then I think you put some basic items (gauze, band-aids, whistle, bandana, your business card with all phone numbers on it, flashlight, money) in a jacket pocket. The problem comes if you live in an area where jackets normally aren't worn. Getting children to keep tabs on EDC gear is like herding cats. At 7, your son just won't be able to do it with any regularity and the pockets on the pants of 7 year old boys just aren't big enough to carry much.

Moreover, a first aid kit isn't really something your son needs to carry around at school (ok, I'm being something of a hypocrite here, as my son's backback includes minimal first aid supplies). The school has a much more complete first aid kit than your son will be able to carry in his pockets. And, if your son's first aid needs cannot wait the additional 5 minutes it takes to alert a teacher and get the first aid kit, then the injury will be so severe that a minimal first aid kit wouldn't cut the mustard anyway.

Very sorry to hear about the bullying problem. My own experiences never went beyond intimidation. Even big kids can be the targets of bullies, since bullies have no compunction about acting in packs. My 7 year-old son is small for his age, but luckily is in a relatively small school and has not reported any bullying problems. Glad to hear that he will be moved to a smaller school.

Sorry to hear about the bullying. Truth is its a fact of life. Good supervision can minimize it, but elimination is not possible. We had the same problem when my son was young. He was small for his age, skinny, smart, not very athletic and not very aggressive. To forestall bullying, I enrolled him in a serious, traditional Shotukon Karate school. we also gave him the same insructions you have given your boy. After about six months of instruction he had rudimentary self- defense skills. After a year, he could hold his own. One or two incidents of bloody nosing the bullies made the bully crowd move on to easier prey. In the end, Karate became his sport. He studied it for 12 years, competed all the way up through international level tournaments. He never changed his gentle approach to life, even though, on a few occasions, he had to deal with bullies. He will tell you that Karate changed his life for the better, in all aspects. It proved to him that if he applied himself to the task, even if it was not easy for him, he could generally prevail. A great lesson to learn in one's youth.

i love that idea acopolis! our daughter took karate as a kid for the same reason and it had so Many positive benefits that we have enrolled our son into a class starting in the summer. we may move up that start date, dependant on how the school change goes.

Every man, everyone period, should carry a handkerchief. I like the simple cotton bandannas sold at any discount store. I keep mine in my hip pocket. Emergency bandage, tourniquet, snot rag, restraint, sun hat, air/water filter, disguise, loincloth, potholder, etcetera. A 2-pack is less than $2. Online a common deal seems to be 12 for $10.

They get softer and more absorbent with a few washing and last for years.

I scarcely leave the house without a bandanna stuffed in a pocket neatly folded. Most of my commonly used jackets and coats have one in a pocket.

As for the bully situation, a lot depends on local standards. Often offering any resistance, any resistance at all, serves to cut the worse of it. A lot of determining the pecking order has to do with proving your a 'regular guy' and will fight if pushed. Winning is often beside the point.

i agree art. he's always had bandanas in his pack, but as he's gotten older and more independant, we should have added one to his pockets. he's loaded now!

there's definitely school yard pecking orders being defined. when it happens in the same age group it's one thing, but this is older kids on younger, so a whole different ball game in my mind.

I think martial arts is a great way for instill discipline in a child, also to see what hard work really is. It also instills confidence, and as has been seen on other forums when having to stand up to someone, which is very useful in difusing situations.

I took aikido, and the one thing I liked about it was it was a more defensive martial art. I think there was only 1 or 2 "offensive" moves, the rest of the moves required the "cooperation" of your attacker. Soemthing to think about. I have no idea about legal stuff, but I would think physics should stand up in court: "The only way I could have made that move, was for the person to attack me first".